Dashing Through The Snow
by Copperpelt
Summary: The Brawlers have elected Alice to get Shun into the Christmas spirit and to go to Murucho's Christmas party by spending time with him. Alice then starts to realize she is beginning to like Shun like she used to before they knew she was Masquerade. R&R!
1. The Big Plan

_Alice_

I ran into Murucho's house, and hugged myself as I tried to get warm. In the middle of the main hall, a large Christmas tree was almost touching the roof, and Kato was on a tall ladder and hanging ornaments. The lower portion of the tree was decked out with ornaments of all shapes, colors, and sizes. Tinsel was draped over branches carelessly, but it looked good nonetheless.

I yelled up at Kato, "It looks great!" He waved down at me, and little angel ornament was in his hand. He said back down to me, "Master Murucho and the others are upstairs." I nodded my head and walked around the tree to the stairs. A few of the ornaments looked like bakugan. Something told me Dan had a role in those. It was kind of a tradition for the Brawlers to put their own ornament of the tree at Murucho's. I hadn't gotten to mine yet, but figured it would be soon.

Poinsettias were on every table. Murucho always did an amazing job decorating his house. I walked by a maid, who had a Santa hat on her head. She smiled at me, and I smiled back. The employees always looked happier this time of year. They probably got very generous Christmas bonuses. The Brawlers were sitting in their usually place, and all their faces lit up when they saw me. Murucho said, "Alice! You're finally here!" I was hugged by Runo and Julie first. Then Dan and Murucho.

I said, "Yup. My plane just landed not too long ago." I saw Shun leaning against the wall near the back of the room. He hadn't changed much from the last time I saw him. Once everyone had given me a warm welcome back, I thanked them and walked over to where Shun was standing. "Hi, Shun. How have you been?" His eyes opened and found me. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Ok I guess."

Dan popped up between us and said to Shun, "Come on, buddy. You're a killjoy every Christmas! How about this year you get the humbug out of your butt?" Shun shot him a warning glare, and Dan stopped talking. The raven haired boy then sighed and walked out of the room. Dan said under his breath, "Every year." I felt bad for Shun. I don't think I had ever seen Shun happy at Christmas time. He wouldn't even grace us with one if his rare smiles in all of December. Murucho then said, "He's like that every year. I just wish we could figure out what to do so he would have a decent Christmas for once."

I sat down on the couch with the others and said, "Shun's been like this since his mother died, right? He's probably just depressed cause of that. I mean, he barely has any family left, and nobody deserves to be alone on Christmas. Not like that anyway." It was kind of sad when you thought about it. His mother was gone, no father in the picture, and his grandfather was now in a nursing home. The Brawlers were the closest thing to family he had left.

Dan suddenly stood up and said confidently, "We're going to make sure he has a good Christmas! Or I'll take away my title as the number one Pyrus brawler! I swear it!" Runo grabbed his ear and pulled him back down. Murucho pushed up his glasses and said, "I don't think you giving up your title would make a difference with anything Dan, but giving Shun a decent Christmas does sound like a good idea." Dan was rubbing his ear and glaring at Runo. I covered my mouth to hide my smile.

Julie asked Murucho, "Aren't you throwing that Christmas party for all of the Brawlers to come to?" The short blonde nodded his head and told her, "Yeah. Every brawler we've met since we fought Naga will be there. I'm hoping it will be the first of many." Julie's gaze went from Murucho to me, and she smiled. "Uh, why are you looking at me like that, Julie?" She tilted her head to the side and said, "Oh, nothing much. Just try and get Shun into the Christmas spirit in time for the party."

I felt my face warm up with the thought of spending time with Shun for several weeks. "I don't think that's a good idea, Julie. Shun and I haven't really been on speaking terms since I revealed to you guys that I was Masquerade." While the others forgave me easily, Shun took longer than the rest. That went with him having trust issues.

When Dan and the Resistance came back to Earth, we talked a little, but he still seemed apprehensive around me. Julie waved her hand and said, "Come on, Alice. It's been what? Eight years? I'm sure he's let that go like the rest of us." Maybe Julie was right for once. I sighed and said, "Ok. I'll give it a shot." Julie clapped her hands together and said, "Awesome! If anyone can cheer up Shun, it'll be Alice!"

Runo rolled her eyes. I asked Julie, "So, when do I start?" She stood up, and pulled me off the couch and shoved me towards Shun's room. "Right now. Just ask him if he'd like to go for a walk or get something to eat tomorrow." I tried grabbing onto the doorframe, but Julie was much stronger than I thought. "Julie! Shun's still mad at Dan! I'd hate to make anything worse!" My hand hit a picture on the wall, and it swung side to side. "Oh quit being a scared. And just knock on his door and ask!"

I heard Runo yelling for Julie to let me go and to wait till the morning, but the silver haired girl didn't listen. She just kept pushing me towards Shun's room. He had probably heard us yelling and was getting ready to tell me no the minute I knocked on the door. We were standing in front of his room, and Julie quickly tapped her knuckles on the door and ran. "Julie!"

She shot down another hall and left me alone. Shun's door opened and he was standing in the doorway. He looked more annoyed than usual. "Yes?" I realized I was standing there frozen in place and not saying a word. I mentally shook myself. My words came out in a rush, "Would you like to get something to eat tomorrow?" I braced for him to say no, but instead he said, "Sure. Why not?"

I stopped in my tracks and looked at him. "Did you just say yes?" Shun leaned against the doorframe and had his arms folded over his chest. "Uh, yeah. Why wouldn't I? It gives me a reason to get out. And besides, you're not annoying like the others and I can tolerate being around you unlike Julie or Dan." It still hadn't registered to me that he said yes. He said, "Hello. Earth to Alice. Where are we going tomorrow?"

I hadn't even thought of where we would go if he did say yes. I was too caught up with him saying no. Quickly, I said, "How about the Misaki's café?" I mentally slapped myself. _Idiot._ Wait. Why was I making such a big deal about this? I was supposed to be spending time with him to talk him into the Christmas spirit. Not make a date. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Sounds ok with me."

I nodded my head and walked back down the hall that Julie pushed me down. She jumped out and said, "How did it go? What did he say? Huh? Give me the details! You're killing me!" I leaned against the wall and said, "He said yes." She squealed and said, "See! We told you he'd be over the whole Masquerade thing!" I sighed and told her, "I guess he is."

_Alice_

Shun and I both left from Murucho's that morning and walked to the Misaki's café for our 'date.' If that's what it really was. I had on a thick purple jacket and purple scarf. And even with all of that I was still cold. Shun walked right next to me. He had on a light green jacket that wasn't much thicker than mine, and a dark green skull cap. I asked him, "How are you not freezing to death?" He looked at me and said, "I've spent a long time training during the winter. It doesn't bother me much anymore."

I forgot that his grandfather would make him train rain or shine and hot or cold. No matter what it was like outside, he was out there. We walked up to the door of the Misaki's café, and Shun opened the door for me. "After you." I blushed and thanked him. I didn't think anyone had seen this side of Shun before. It was certainly something new to me.

The Misaki's had Christmas wreaths hung up around the café and a little foot tall Christmas tree on the counter in front of the cash register. Mr. and Mrs. Misaki both had on Santa hats as they walked around taking and giving orders to customers. Runo's mother saw us and smiled. She stopped at our table and said, "Now what brings you two here on this cold day? And where are the others?" I could hear the faint sound of Christmas music playing over the speaker system. I was about to answer Mrs. Misaki's question, when Shun did it for me.

"We're just on a little outing. The others decided to stay at Murucho's for the day." She smiled and asked us if we wanted anything. I said, "Can I get just a glass of water?" Shun added in after me, "Same for me." She smiled and scribbled our order down on the little notepad and walked into the kitchen. There was an awkward silence between us, and I was spinning the salt shaker on the table in front of me. I bit my lip and asked, "So, what have you been up to, Shun?"

He leaned back in his chair and said, "Nothing much. Just working little jobs here and there to save up some money." I nodded my head. Across the street, a guy in a Santa costume on was shaking a bell to attract people to a gift store. Mrs. Misaki set our glasses of water down in front of us and smiled before going to another table. Shun had his head placed in his hand, and his other hand was placed on the table and his fingers were tapping on the table. Was he bored? Was I boring him?

He took a sip of his water, and a drop of sweat beaded down the glass as the ice melted. "You know, I was pretty surprised when you asked me last night if I wanted to get something to eat with you." My foot was tapping under the table in time with the music playing over the speakers. I couldn't really tell, but I thought it sounded like Winter Wonderland. "Really?"

Shun took another sip of his water and said, "Yes. Really. You always avoided me, that when you just showed up at my room last night I was completely taken aback." I was still playing with the salt shaker and said, "Well, to be honest, Julie made me ask." A rush of cold air came into the café whenever the door opened. Shun let out a short laugh and said, "Well, I guess it's a good thing she did cause I'm having a good time." _He laughed._ I could just hear Julie squealing and saying I was doing great.

I had to admit, even though we weren't really saying much, I was having a nice time as well. I asked him, "Are you going to Murucho's Christmas party? All of the Brawlers are going to be there." He stared down at his glass and said, "I don't know. Probably not." I leaned forward and said, "Why not? It'll give you a chance to see everyone again." Shun had his index finger in the ice water and was stirring around the ice in the glass.

"I just….Don't really want to." I met his gaze and saw he was serious about not wanting to go to the Christmas party. I said, "Give me until the party. If I haven't changed your mind about it, then you don't have to go." Shun wasn't expecting me to make a proposal like that with him. I could see the unexpected look in his eyes. He sighed and said, "Ok. But you might be wasting your time."

Shun flipped out his phone and said, "It's getting late. I'd hate to have to walk these streets at night." He dug into his pocket and pulled out his wallet and placed down a few dollars for the water and tip. We walked outside of the café and I saw it was getting dark. The winter sky was pink and orange as the sun set behind the city. Without the sun, the air was getting colder and colder every minute.

The chill cut through my thick jacket and touched my skin. I shivered, and then had a light green jacket held out in front of me. Shun had taken off his jacket and was offering it to me. "I can't take that. You'll freeze." I saw him standing outside in the cold air with nothing but a short sleeve on and his skull cap. "The cold doesn't bother me. Remember? Take it." I didn't argue, and took the jacket and slid it on over mine. I was instantly warmer. "Thank you." He smiled and said, "No problem."

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><p>i finally got the first chapter down, and after hours of thinking figured the title for the story. ^^ for those who enjoyed reading the Fallen Love Trilogy, the third book will be up after this story is complete. check out my profile for the cover to <em>Anthem Of The Angels<em>. i also have up the youtube links to all of the songs my stories have been based on. so in case nobody had ever heard of them. read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~


	2. Cooler Than Ice

_Alice_

Breakfast had just been served to everyone, and we were all enjoying the meal that Murucho's chefs had prepared for us. Dan took a bite and said with a full mouth, "My compliments to the chef." Runo backhanded him in the head, and he almost began to choke on the mouthful of food he had. We all laughed when we saw he was ok. I even thought I saw Shun crack a smile down at the end of the table.

I wasn't for sure though because he had a cup of tea near his face. Julie leaned close to me and said, "So, what do you have planned for today to get ninja boy to lighten up?" Last night when I gave Julie the rest of the details, she completely freaked out. She was shocked when I told her that Shun actually laughed. I turned away from Shun so he couldn't read my lips. "I'm not sure. You know I'm no good at making plans. Could you maybe give me an idea or something?"

Julie rolled her eyes, then she began to ponder for an idea. "Isn't there some carolers in the park today? Don't they always show up like a few weeks before the tree is lit in town square?" I looked from Julie, to Shun, and back. "I really doubt Shun's the kind that wants to stand out in the cold and listen to people sing Christmas songs, Julie." Something broke in the other room, and I heard Kato comment about an ornament. _He must of broken one. _Julie then added, "The lake is frozen over. You two could go ice skating or something."

I propped my head up in my hand and sighed. This was going to be more difficult than I thought. But my only choices were ice skating or Christmas carols. And quite frankly, if I didn't want to listen to people sing, then Shun wouldn't either. "Looks like we're going ice skating. If he agrees to it." Julie gave me a thumbs up and then stood from her chair. She told us all, "I'm going to run off to the little girls' room. Be back soon."

She skipped off down the hall, and i felt relieved she wasn't breathing down my throat. I looked back over at Shun, and saw he had just finished his breakfast. Since I didn't want to ask him to go with me in front of everyone, mainly from fear of rejection and looking like a fool, I chased after him and left my half eaten breakfast behind. "Shun! Wait up!" He stopped walking and turned around to face me.

"Alice?" I checked around me in case Julie decided to hide out and watch us. Shun's eyebrow was raised as he waited for me to speak. The same nerves that gripped me the day before returned. Why was it so hard to ask him things like this? I said, "I was wondering if you wanted to do something today like we did yesterday." He leaned his back on the wall and had his thumbs hooked in his jean pockets.

"And that would be?" I caught myself tapping my foot, and immediately stopped it. I didn't want him to see I was nervous. What if he said no? I was never one to be good with rejection. I said, "Well, there are some carolers in the park. Or we could go ice skating. If you want to of course." Well, I had no choice to throw in the caroler option. People always feel better when they have options.

He cracked a smile and said, "You were serious yesterday about making me change my mind about that party, weren't you?" He thought I was joking about it? I thought I had made it pretty straightforward. "Yes, I was serious. So, do you want to go today? We can do something else if you want." Shun looked up towards the ceiling as he thought about my offer. _He's going to say no. I just know it._

"Hmmm. So, ice skating? I haven't done that in years." He was no longer looking at the ceiling, but instead had his head tilted down a little and his eyes were closed. A basic, and very common pose to see him do. I asked, "Is that a yes or no?" Shun chuckled and said, "You act like this is your first time asking somebody a question. Yeah. Ice skating sounds much more tolerable than people singing Frosty The Snowman."

I felt my face blush a little, and hoped he didn't see. My eyes then saw what I was wearing. I was still in my purple pajamas. "Uh, I guess we'll go once I get changed then." Shun was already in his clothes for the day.

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Just don't take forever. I'd hate for the day to waste away cause of you fretting over what you'll wear." I felt myself get riled up, but saw he was smiling playfully at me, and my remark stopped before coming out of my mouth. Shun continued down the hallway, and I hurried to my room to change.

_Alice_

It only took me about ten or fifteen minutes to get changed. Partly because I rushed. Shun and I were walking down the sidewalk to the park that was just ahead of us. Walking next to him, felt natural to me. It wasn't awkward or anything, unlike when I talked to him. On a few occasions during our walk, I tried to start up a conversation. They all ended up dying away after a few words.

As we closed in on the park, the sounds of carolers grew louder. The two of us both held our ice skates by their laces. Lucky us, Murucho had hundreds of unused pairs, and Shun and I found our sizes after searching shelf by shelf. Mine were white, and his were gray. The park was filled with people. Many were crowded around the carolers, who were singing Ode To Joy.

A good amount of people were on the lake and skating, and there were people just walking around the snow cleared sidewalks around the park. Behind the carolers, was the area cleaned off for the tree the city put up every year and decorated. It was always lit up the day after the city's Christmas parade. We walked over the little bridge that went over a small river.

It rarely froze over in the winter because of the moving water. Rocks lined the banks, and I saw they were slick with ice. It showed just how cold it was outside. I hadn't made the same mistake as I had yesterday, and doubled up on clothes. I had on a long-sleeve underneath and a short-sleeve over that. Along with my thick purple jacket. Shun wore the same jacket and skull cap he had on yesterday.

I saw his cheeks looked a little pink from the blistering cold wind, and I knew mine were probably the same way. He stopped walking and looked around the park. When he sighed, his breath was a white cloud. He said, "Come on. Let's find a bench and put on our skates."

I nodded my head and walked with him. We got lucky, and found an empty bench right by the lake. I was thankful for the short walk, since going through the snow in ice skates wasn't easy. Especially for me. Even though I knew how to skate, I wasn't the most graceful thing. I'd probably be more graceful in a thing of caramel and feathers. Ice and snow stuck to the wood seat, along with the metal armrests. I was getting cold just by looking at it. Shun bent over and brushed the snow and ice away.

"Thanks." He sat down and said, "Well, I'm sure the last thing we wanted was to get stuck to the bench." I smiled and took a seat next to him. It was difficult to lace up my skates with my thin gloves on, and I knew it would be just as hard to do if I took them off. When they were finally tight enough for me, I saw Shun was already making his way to the lake. Intricate patterns were made into the ice from all of the ice skates going over the surface.

I watched as Shun found his center of balance on the blades of the skates. I started to make my own way to the lake, and saw on the trees in the park had wreaths and big red bows on the trunks. They probably also had lights strung around them and in the branches too. My skate's blade hit the ice, and I was gliding out on the ice. I looked around for Shun, and saw he had gotten used to the ice.

He was literally doing circles around me. I stared to pick up speed, and was right next to him and following his movements. Well, most of them. Shun was doing turns on the ice. If I even attempted to do that, I'd probably fall. And I didn't want to look like a klutz in front of Shun and no telling how many other people that may have been looking. Shun asked me, "Why are you acting so tense?"

I almost lost my balance, but quickly recovered. "Because I don't want to fall and bust my butt." He laughed and got in front of me. But he was moving. Shun was actually skating backwards while in front of me, and going just fast enough that we didn't bump into me. He said, "Look around. Everyone's busting their butts. It comes with going out on a slick surface while standing on two blades. You're going to fall, no matter how hard you try. And you're only increasing those odds by trying to prevent from falling."

I narrowed my eyes and said, "Well, look at you. You're skating backwards without even trying. I seriously doubt you're going to fall." He shrugged his shoulders and turned back around to face the same way I was. "Better now?" I gave him a look and shook my head. I asked, "Is there anything you can't do?" A little kid, no older than two by his looks, fell on the ice and started to cry.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" His voice had a teasing tone in it. I said, "Well, you're a ninja for one. As good, or better, a Brawler than Dan. And you're kicking my butt on the ice. Anything else I should expect?" Another skater shot right through us, and nearly knocked me over. I turned my head around and glared at them. Shun told me, "Well, I can be somewhat of a smooth talker." He had his head held up high, like he was proud of himself. I laughed. "You? A smooth talker? Really now? You don't talk enough to even be considered a talker." He smiled and looked at me and said, "Sometimes the quiet ones know just what to say."

The thought of Shun actually being able to smooth talk somebody made me smile. "Is that so?" I waited for his response when a little girl and boy pushed their dog onto the ice. The brown lab had its tail tucked between its legs as he slid around. The kids were laughing and their parents were getting onto them for tormenting the pet.

Shun said, "Yeah. Unlike Dan, who blurts something out without thinking, we quiet types keep to ourselves and think about what we're going to say. I guess you could say it keep us from making idiots out of ourselves." I rolled my eyes. But maybe there was some substance behind what Shun was saying. The parents finally coaxed their dog back to them, and left the park.

We were going around the edge of the snow covered bank, when I felt my skate slip under me. I started to fall towards the bank, but my fall was cushioned. But not by the snow. I looked and saw Shun had a hold on me where he tried to catch me, but ended up falling with me instead. His arm was hooked around the curve of my waist, and he saw this too. He quickly removed his arm, and I saw his face turn pink.

It wasn't from the cold though, it was a blush. He said, "Looks like I tried to catch you a little too late." He was smiling nervously. I had never seen this side of Shun, and was starting to wonder if this was the same person who stayed as far away from the other Brawlers as possible. I said back at him jokingly, "Guess you're reflexes aren't all that, huh ninja boy?"

A woman skated past us, and I heard her say, "Aw. How cute." Our faces both blushed at her comment. Shun got up to his feet and stretched his hand out in front of me. "Here, let me help you up." I took his hand, and he pulled me up to my feet. We brushed the snow off of our clothes before it started to melt on us and get us wet. I rolled up my sleeve and looked down at my watch that Runo got me for my birthday. Shun and I had been out there for over two hours. _It only felt like a few minutes._

We both walked back to the bench that we left our shoes under. Shun brushed away the snow again, and we both sat down and put our shoes back on. Shun stood up and stuffed his hands into his jacket pocket and asked, "You ready to head back to Murucho's?"

I nodded my head and we walked towards the street. When we were halfway to Murucho's, I stopped at the window to a jewelry store. Runo, Julie, and I always stopped by it and browsed. In the display window, was a diamond necklace that had a small silver flower pendent on it.

This particular store, always outdid themselves with their jewelry. And their prices. I was lined up just right with the window, that my reflection wore the necklace. Shun's reflection then popped up next to me. "That would really look good on you. Shame even Murucho probably couldn't even afford that."

He was right. One time I saw a ring that nearly made me faint from the price. I was scared to know how much that necklace cost. Shun and I continued walking back to Murucho's. Almost every store had their Christmas decorations hung up now. Shun said to me, "You know, you might just convince me to go to that party yet."

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><p>beh. it's freezing! -curls up in blanket- lol. thanks everyone for the reviews and such. XP i went back over the 1st chapter and nearly pulled my hair out when i saw my errors. i dont blame myself since i had just written a 1 12 page report on trench warfare during ww1. -.- my typing was pretty much spent. lol. well, read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~


	3. Enter The Moment

_Alice_

My feet were killing me that night from my skates. I was sitting on my bed, and massaging the top of them when Julie popped into my room without knocking. "Julie! Haven't you heard of knocking?" She put her hands up in defense and plopped down on my bed, causing me to bounce a few times. "Sorry. I'll knock next time. But I want to know what you've got planned for tomorrow.

" Tomorrow? I hadn't even really thought to what happened today. As I thought, an idea easily came into my mind. "Weren't we all planning to go shopping tomorrow?" She nodded, and her silver ponytail fell behind her shoulders. "Yeah. Everyone except Shun. He made that clear weeks ago that we weren't going to drag him in a mall." I smiled deviously, and Julie backed away from me. "Alice, you're freaking me out. What are you thinking up in that orange head of yours?"

I stood up from my bed on my sore feet and said, "Somehow I think Shun will be going shopping with us tomorrow." Julie jumped up and squealed. "There's no way he'll say no to you! We've all seen that first hand the past few days." She winked at me and gave me a thumbs up before scampering out of my room. She was right. Shun had said yes to all of my offers, when he'd turn everyone else down if they asked the same thing. Although, it would probably be kind of weird if Dan asked him to go ice skating or shopping.

I had to ask Shun now before he ran off and hid for tomorrow. When I walked out of my room to find him, he was walking down the hallway in my direction. "Alice. I was just looking for you." I stepped the rest of the way out of my room and shut my door behind me. Shun had one hand stuck in his jean's pocket and the other hung loosely by his side. He certainly looked laid back and at home at the moment.

"Well, here I am. What did you need, Shun?" I thought I saw a tint of nervousness in his eyes. He spent his time as he thought his words out carefully. "Well, since you've asked me to go somewhere with you for the past two days, I thought it would only be fair if I got to do the same." I felt a flutter in my stomach. Was he really about to ask me to go somewhere with him?

I couldn't fathom what he had in mind. This was Shun we were dealing with here. The mysterious ninja that not even his best friend knew everything about. "Um, sure. What is it?" I tried to ignore my beating heart. Why was I always like this when he was near me? I had never been like this before. Well, not since when we were both twelve. But after the whole Masquerade ordeal, we stopped talking to each other. Maybe that was why I hadn't felt like this for so long.

We hadn't talked to each other until now. Could whatever feelings I had when we were younger, last all this time. "Since you're trying to convince me to go to Murucho's party, and it seems like every outing we've had has been Christmas related somehow, I was wondering if you wanted to go to that Parade of Lights thing." The Parade of Lights. The city put had started that tradition several years ago. The most upscale neighborhood in Bay City decked out every house with lights, and people could walk down the streets and look at them while judges rated each house. I had never been though.

"That sounds really nice, but I was going to go Christmas shopping with Dan and the others tomorrow." I didn't realize until after I said it, that it sounded like I was turning his offer down. His eyes showed me disappointment. He said softly, "Oh. Well, maybe another day then."

He started to walk away and I stopped him. "Shun, wait. I'd love to go to the Parade of Lights. I'll meet you there after I finish up my shopping with the others. Unless you want to tag along with us to save yourself the trouble of waiting."

The disappointment in his eyes was gone now. He sighed and said, "I really don't like shopping with Dan and the others, but I'll give it a shot." I smiled and felt the world shift back to normal. "Alrighty then. We're leaving at 10 tomorrow." He nodded his head and walked off back down the hall to his room.

_Shun_

The mall was overflowing with more people than it should hold. Stores had signs plastered up on their windows advertising Christmas sales, and in the very center was a guy in a Santa costume with a line of little kids waiting to sit on his lap. I always got freaked out by the idea of a guy having hundreds of kids sit on his lap everyday and only getting paid a few dollars.

You had to have serious issues to take that job. Behind the fake Santa, was a large Christmas tree, but it had nothing on Murucho's. We all found a clearing and stopped. Julie took it from their. "Ok everybody. Me, Runo, and Alice will split up and take the bottom floor, while you three get the top floor. We'll switch floors in two hours. Got it?" None of us had a chance to put in our opinions before the three girls skipped off.

The three of us looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders before heading for an escalator. The top floor wasn't anywhere as crowed as the downstairs was. Mainly because there wasn't anything worth going in and looking around for. Murucho said, "So where do we start?" Even though there were cruddy stores on the second floor, there were still as many as downstairs.

I mumbled under my breath, "This is why I don't shop." Dan hit me in my back and said, "Come on, buddy. It ain't that bad." I growled at him, and he backed away. Dan was at his most annoying level during Christmas. His cheerfulness was sometimes enough to make anyone with sanity gag. Murucho stepped between us and said, "Come on, guys. Let's not get thrown out of the mall. Listen, how about we go into that store?"

He was pointing to a little store right across from us. A piercing aroma stabbed me in the head. A candle shop. I looked down at Murucho and said, "Really? This is the only distraction you could come up with?" He shrugged his shoulders and we started walking towards the shop. The scent of candles got stronger as we closed in on it. The minute we hit the door, Dan was standing next to one of the shelves and sniffing candles. I saw the label. It was called citrus paradise.

He shoved the candle in front of me and said, "Dude, you have to smell this!" I tried to push it away, but only in vain. Dan eventually won, and I snatched the candle from his hand and sniffed it. I practically threw it down. "Oh god! How can you stand this!" I tried to shake the smell out of my nose as I placed it back on the shelf. We spent a few minutes in the store, and Dan ended up buying his mom and aunt a few candles. I was thankful to be out of that store, but my head throbbed from inhaling all of those candle scents that Dan shoved in my face.

I was wondering how his brain wasn't fried like mine. _That's right. There isn't anything up there._ I rubbed the temples on the side of my head when Murucho pointed to another store. "How about we try this one? There's no candles in it." In front of us, was a shoe store.

I sighed and said, "Let's go in there and get it over with." The shoes on the shelves looked like something that would be in an art museum. _Who would even wear these?_ As Dan and Murucho browsed, I flipped out my phone and looked at the time.

We had an hour and a half before we switched floors, and god knows how much longer after that. I sat down on one of the little benches, and stayed there while my friends looked around. _At this rate, I'm not going to want to go anywhere tonight._

_Alice_

I kept looking upstairs, as if thinking that I'd see Shun walk by the railing. Runo, Julie, and I had already gone into five stores, and half of our Christmas shopping done. I had gotten my grandfather a new leather jacket, and Dan's and Murucho's presents. That was the easy part. Now it was Shun on my list. What did you buy somebody that wasn't ever big on Christmas spirit from the start?

Runo said, "I'm surprised you talked Shun into coming shopping with us." I nodded slowly. I was actually thinking that when we went shopping, we would all be together. Not split up. I asked, "What time are we leaving?" Julie responded with, "At like four at the latest. Why? Got plans with ninja boy?" I didn't look at her, cause I tried to hide the slight blush on my cheeks. "Well, actually I do. He's taking me to go see the Parade of Lights after this."

Both of the girls stopped, and were completely quiet. I felt like a deer in the headlights with them staring at me. "What?" Runo was the first to unfreeze and said, "He actually asked you? You didn't ask him?" Julie jumped in after her and squealed, "Oh my gosh! You're starting to wear off on him! And a lot quicker than I expected!" The boys then came down the escalator near us.

Dan had a smile on his face and said, "Ok. Two hours is up. Time to switch floors." _Two hours are up already?_ I found Shun. He looked aggravated and as if he didn't want to be here right now. I then said, "Hey guys, if you don't mind, would it be ok if just me and Shun walk around for a little while?" Shun looked at me like I had just saved his life. Murucho shrugged his shoulders and said, "I guess it's ok. Do you guys care?"

Everyone shook their heads and Shun and I broke off from the group. He whispered to me, "Thanks. I was about ready to scream if I had to go into another store with Dan." I smiled at him, and didn't say anything. His eyes went down to the shopping bags I had in my hands. "You want me to carry some of those for you?" They weren't really that heavy, but I was getting tired of them bruising up my legs as I walked.

He took two of the four bags, and carried them for me. "Thanks. That really takes a load off." Even though he was away from Dan and the others, he still looked miserable. "Everything alright, Shun?" He nodded his head, but only to make me stop worrying. I got ahead of him, and stopped right in front of him.

I caused him to stopped walking. "Tell me what's wrong, or we're not going any further than this." He raised an eyebrow and tried to walk in the other way, but I ran in front of him again. He sighed and said, "I hate coming here because me and my mom used to come here every Christmas before she died."

I felt a pang of guilt stab me. I had drug Shun to a place that brought back old memories that he probably didn't want to relive. "But, you had to of known that we were going to this mall. It's the only decent one in the city. Why did you come then if you didn't want to?" He stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and looked away from me. "You'd probably think it's stupid or something." I could hear in his voice that I was treading on thin ice, even if he did want to tell me.

"I won't think it's stupid. Just tell me. I just want to know." He looked at me with his amber eyes, but kept his face turned to where I could only see his profile. He sighed. "I came here because I wanted to spend time with you. That didn't go as I planned though. Huh?"

He let out a sad laugh, and his face was pink with blush. My own felt warm. I was biting my lip and then said, "Come on. Let's get out of here. I'll text Runo or Julie and make up a reason that we had to leave early." He looked at me, and his eyebrow was raised.

"Why? Don't you need to finish up your shopping?" I smiled and said, "I have all the way until Christmas to get my shopping done. The world isn't going to run out of things to sell in a few weeks. Besides, I think it'd be nice to get to the Parade of Lights a little early. Don't you think?"

He smiled, then closed his eyes. His voice sounded thankful when he said, "Let's go then." I sent my message to Runo and we left the mall to flag down a taxi.

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><p>omg. so sorry fo rbeing so late today. -.- but i had like three reports to do and had to finish reading a book for another report. bleh. well, i made first chair bari sax in the concert band 1 at my audition! out of five other bari saxes! i'm so happy! ^^ all my hard work paid off! XP check out my profile for a poll and book covers and songs and all kinds of goodies. lol. read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~<p> 


	4. In The Shining Lights

_Alice_

The taxi took a few lefts and a couple of rights when we stopped at the entrance to the South Estates neighborhood. We climbed out of the taxi, and Shun paid the driver. When we turned back to the neighborhood, I saw Shun's eyes widen. He said, "This place is packed." Crowds of people waited for the gate to open so they could take in the Christmas lights that were put up by the hard work of the homeowners. A banner was draped above the gate and said _Bay City's 4__th__ annual South Estates Parade of Lights._

Shun said, "Hard to believe this has gotten so popular in four years." I nodded and we walked up to join the mass of people ahead of us. "Alice! Shun!" We both whirled around to see who was calling out our names. Running towards us and waving their hands to grab our attention, was Joe and Chan.

I squinted my eyes to make sure that was who I was really seeing. Chan went and hugged me and I hugged back and said, "Oh my gosh! I haven't seen you in ages!" Joe and Shun were next to us shaking hands and asking how the other had been doing. None of the Brawlers had seen Joe and Chan since the fight with Naga, so this was a surprise. Joe looked around us and asked, "Are the others here?"

I shook my head and said, "Nope. Just me and Shun. What brings you two down here?" Chan smiled and said to us, "We're in town to visit family for the holidays, and Murucho's party of course." Joe chimed in and asked, "So, are you two dating or something?" Shun and I both said to him quickly, "What? No!" Joe had an eyebrow raised and said, "Uh-huh. Awkward." I felt my face blush, and kept my gaze adverted from Shun's.

Even though I predicted he was blushing as well. Chan hit him in the arm and glared at him. She asked, "I take it you are going to the party in a few weeks as well." Shun answered her, "Alice is, and she's been trying to convince me to go." Joe fixed the scarf on his neck and said, "Well, let's hope she succeeds. Cause somebody needs to keep Dan in line if he hasn't changed much since we last saw each other."

We all laughed, and stopped when a voice came over a speaker system. A portable stage was set up with speakers set up behind it, and a man stepped onto the stage with a microphone. "Thank you everyone who came out tonight in this cold weather for the 4th annual Parade of Lights. The gates will be opened as soon as the last judge arrives in a few minutes. So please be patient."

He stepped off the stage and people resumed talking. The four of us stood in the chilly air and caught up. Joe and Chan had been doing very well since we last saw them. Their relationship was still going strong, and they even told us they were planning to get engaged the following summer. When I heard them telling me how their lives had been, I couldn't help but feel like I hadn't done anything in all of those years. That I was still the same as I was five years ago. And five years before that.

Shun was telling them about some of his training stories, when a light snow flurry started to fall. Joe held out his hand and said, "They said it's supposed to blizzard some time this week. I hope not tonight. They'd have to cancel if it does." Little white, frozen specks fell from the black, night sky. It seemed never-ending.

The man climbed back on the stage and said, "Our final judge has just arrived, and we will now open the gates. Please enjoy seeing the lights! And have a Merry Christmas!" The crowd started to pour through the gates, and when we finally made it through, none of us knew what to think. Large houses lined both sides of the street. Houses that looked like they would belong to Murucho and his family.

The streetlights weren't lit. They weren't needed with the light being given off by the houses. At first, reindeer and Santa's were in every yard, and as you went further down you saw more elaborate decorations. One house had a miniature Christmas tree forest in its lawn, and inflatable presents were stuck around and under the trees. But my favorite was the house that had dressed their little dog up as a reindeer and let him run and jump around the yard with his little antlers on his head.

It kind of reminded me of the dog from the Grinch movie. The snow flurry had picked up some, and it was starting to get difficult to see further up ahead. Joe and Chan had broken off from us, and we had lost them in the mass of people. Shun and I walked by another home that had the owner dressed in a Santa suit, and his wife was dressed as Mrs. Claus. They were handing out candy canes to little kids that came up to them. I smiled and turned to say something to Shun, but he wasn't next to me.

I turned around several more times to try and find him, and was just about to call out his name when he came walking back towards me. "Where'd you run off too?" He held out one of the candy canes to me and said, "Tis the season for giving, right?" I smiled and felt my face get warm, then took the candy cane. "Thanks. Do you want some? I really doubt I'll finish it all." He shrugged his shoulders and I broke off a piece and handed it to him. When it touched my tongue, I tasted the cool peppermint flavor.

After a few minutes, the red stripes one the end were starting to vanish. Shun's was the same way. The neighborhood, had their own lake/park area for people to go to and walk their dogs or whatever they wanted to. Even it was decorated with all kinds of Christmas related items. We turned off the road and walked the sidewalk of the park. Not many people were going through there though.

The sidewalk, had lights arched over it, and it felt like I was walking under a tunnel. Different sidewalks branched off the one we were walking on, but we just kept straight. Up ahead, was a gazebo with wreaths hung on it and lights tacked up around it to show the outline. I saw benches under it, and said, "How about we rest for a minute?"

Shun nodded his head. The roof of the gazebo shielded us from the falling snow flurry. I looked at myself and saw little snowflakes that were melting, stuck in my hair. I quickly brushed them out with my hands before my hair got soaked. _I wish I had a hat._ Shun's hair was the same way because he didn't bring his skull cap this time. He didn't seem to mind it though. I finished off the last of my candy cane, and stuffed the plastic wrapper in my pocket.

I didn't want to litter in such a nice place. Shun had finished sometime ago the piece of candy cane I gave him. I looked out over the neighborhood and knew that there was no way that we would see all of the decorations. Not in one night at least. I rolled up my jacket sleeve and saw that it was closing in on nine at night. Shun let out a sleepy yawn. He was tired from spending half of the day in a mall with Dan, and then walking around outside in the cold. I knew this because I was the same way.

I asked, "You ready to go?" He stretched his arms above his head and said, "If you are." I nodded my head and we started to walk back towards the gate. On our way back, we saw Chan and Joe standing by the stage just up ahead. They turned around, and Chan said, "Hey! They're you guys are. Y'all leaving too?" We nodded our heads. Joe asked us, "How are you planning to get back to Murucho's?" Shun shivered for a moment before saying, "I guess we'll flag down another taxi or something."

Joe shook his head and told us, "Not at this time at night. You'd be lucky to find one within the hour. Here. How about Chan and I give you two a ride back to Murucho's since our hotel is just down the street?" Shun and I looked at each other and I told them, "That would be great. Thanks guys." We walked down the street and found their car parked on the sidewalk with several others further down. Shun and I climbed into the backseat, and Joe cranked the car and drove down the road.

They had cranked the heater on as well, and I was starting to be able to feel my nose again. I looked over at Shun, who had his head leaned against the window and eyes closed as he started to drift off to sleep. The car hit a bump, and jolted Shun awake. That was short lived though, because he started to nod back off again. Joe slowed to a stop in front of Murucho's, and said, "We're here. Hey, is it just me, or has the place gotten bigger?"

I shook Shun back awake and said, "There's no telling with Murucho." Shun and I got out of the car, and thanked them once more for driving us back. The snow had picked up even more from when we were back at the neighborhood. I quickly looked at my watch again. _Almost ten._ We hurried inside, and walked upstairs to the floor everyone was staying on. Kato wasn't hanging ornaments of the tree now, but by the looks of it he was almost done. In the sitting area upstairs, Dan and the others were gathered around.

Dan stood up and said, "Bout time you two got back. We thought you'd stay gone all night." Shun and I both took off our jackets and hung them up on a coat hanger in the corner of the room since Murucho had it set to Sahara Desert in his house. Shun said calmly, "I'm pretty tired from today. I think I'll go ahead and go on to bed." We all nodded our heads and he walked off to his room. I said, "I think I'm going to do the same." I was almost out of the room when something grabbed my wrist and stopped me. Julie. She said to me, "You've got to tell me what you two did tonight. Please?"

I took my wrist from her grip and said, "I'll tell you tomorrow, Julie. But right now I'm tired from walking all day. I promise I'll tell you in the morning." She seemed disappointed, but accepted it and walked back over to the others. I walked into my bathroom that was connected to my room to wash my face, and saw I was out of washcloths. I sighed. _Maybe the hall bathroom has some._

I walked from my room and down the hall. The bathroom was right past Shun's room near the end. When I walked past his room, I saw the door was completely open. I couldn't help but look inside, and saw that he had just laid down on his bed and gone to sleep. I wished I could have done the same, but I wanted to get to day's events off of me. When I got to the hall bathroom, I searched through the cabinets and took a few washcloths so I wouldn't have to return to get more later.

As I walked past Shun's room again, I reached for the knob and gently shut the door. Now I was back in my bathroom, and turned the sink's water onto warm. Last thing I wanted was cold water on my face right after I had warmed up. My face felt better once I was washed off, and I changed into my pajamas that I had left hanging over the shower curtain railing. I finished up by brushing out my hair and tying it up in a ponytail.

Now that I was clean and comfortable, I went back into my room and crawled under my blankets. My head laid down on something thin that crackled under me. I sat up and saw a flyer for the city's Christmas parade on Friday. On the back, was Julie's handwriting. _Don't forget about the parade!_

I had three days to worry about the parade, and at the time I was much too tired to worry about it then. I folded the paper up and placed it on my nightstand, where Julie should have set it instead of on my pillow. I shifted in my blankets, and felt something hit my foot and fall out from under the bed. I growled, and wondered what else Julie had planted. On the floor, was something that looked to be wrapped up.

I reached for it and took the thin paper off of it. Unable to see what it was, I flipped my lamp on and a light filled my room. It was a purple beanie with a note. _Thought this might help keep you warmer, cause I see the way you look at my hat. And I keep thinking you're going to attack me one day for it._

I recognized the writing as Shun's. A blush swept my face and I couldn't help but giggle. I said under my breath, "Just for that I'm going to steal your hat." I put the note and beanie on the nightstand with the parade flyer, and turned out my lamp. Before I laid back down, I patted my blankets for anything else that might have been hidden, then went to sleep.

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><p>thanks for all the reviews so far everyone! XP lol. if you haven't <strong>checked out my profile<strong> please do so for **polls, covers, and video links** to my story's songs! read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~


	5. Lost In The Storm

_Alice_

Howling winds woke me up not long after I had fallen asleep. The room seemed to be much darker than normally as I sat up and looked around. I felt around on the nightstand for the switch to the lamp, and turned it. Still dark. I tried a few more times, but the light never flipped on. I placed my feet on the floor and carefully made my way over to the window, and looked out. Snow was whipping around outside, and the city was covered in darkness.

_The blizzard._ Joe and Chan had mentioned something about one coming through this week, but I hadn't thought it would strike so suddenly. The lamp that wouldn't come on, now made sense. The power had gone out. I double checked my theory by trying the light switch on the wall next to my door. Nothing. I heard voices down the hall through my door, and popped my head out to see what was going on.

At the end of the hall where one of the sitting rooms were, was a flickering light. Out of curiosity, I started to walk towards the room. When I walked into the sitting area, Dan and the others were huddled around on the couches, and a fire was burning in a fireplace. There were fireplaces in two of the four sitting rooms on each floor, but nobody ever thought they'd have to use them.

Murucho asked me, "The blizzard wake you up too?" I nodded my head and looked at my friends that were all huddled under blankets and around the fire. Even I noticed this room was warmer than the rest. Murucho then said, "It woke must of us up too. And I decided to get Kato to light a fire so we could have some light and warmth now that the power and heat have been knocked out."

Before sitting down with the others, I looked around for Shun. He wasn't anywhere in the room. I asked, "Is Shun still asleep?" Dan repositioned himself on the couch and said, "Apparently. I don't see how he's sleeping through this weather." I nodded my head and sat down on the blanket that was laid out on the floor in front of the fireplace. Julie and Runo were also down there too.

Dan had out his phone, and was running a weather report app he had gotten. I found it ironic that all of us criticized Dan for getting something that he'd never use, and now we were depending on it to know what was going on outside. The voice on the app predicted that the storm would most likely pass sometime tomorrow. Julie whined and said, "I hope it doesn't interfere with the parade and tree lighting in a few days."

I actually was on the same page with Julie as well. I didn't want the parade to get cancelled because Shun and I were supposed to go to it with the others. It seemed like the world would stop if I didn't get to see him or spend time with him. I found it startling how quickly I had gone from doing something so simple as trying to get him into the Christmas spirit, and was ending up enjoying his company.

A blanket was handed down to me, and I looked up to see Kato offering it to me. I smiled and took the blanket from him. "Thank you, Kato." He bowed and said to us, "I have lit the other fireplace on the floor if you don't mind Master Murucho." Murucho waved his hand and said, "That's not a problem at all Kato. If anything, it's warming up the rest of the floor." Kato bowed and walked off into another room.

A though came into my mind, and I stood up. When I did, the blanket I had wrapped around me fell to the floor. I told the others, "I'm going on back to my room to try and sleep. Night." They all told me good-night, and I left. As I went down the dark hall, I bypassed my room. On purpose. The blanket in my hands dragged along the floor as I approached the end of the hall.

A light was flickering just like the one in the sitting room. Somehow, I knew what I'd find in there. If my hunch was correct that is. I peered around the corner of the door, and smiled. _So predictable._ Shun was sitting down on the couch in front of the second fireplace all by himself. A blanket like mine was draped over his legs, and he was sipping something warm from a cup.

My foot moved slightly, and the floor under me creaked under the change in weight. I froze, wishing I hadn't made the sound. Shun said, "I know you're there, Alice." He didn't take his eyes off from the fire when he said that. Feeling the defeat of being heard, I walked into the room reluctantly. He glanced up at me, and patted the spot next to him on the couch. "Well? You just gunna stand there? Or are ya gunna have a seat?" I couldn't tell if my face heated up from a blush, or if it was from the fire.

The couch sunk in from my weight when I sat down. I then took my blanket and covered myself up to get some extra warmth, even though I was getting plenty from the fire and Shun's body heat next to me. He offered me the cup he had in his hands and asked, "Tea?" I took the cup and took a small sip. Just enough to subside my thirst, and handed it back to him. I felt the warm tea flow through me, and I began to feel relaxed. I said, "I thought I'd find you in here. It just seemed like something you'd do."

I felt him looking at me and he asked, "Like something I'd do? Explanation please." I smiled and said, "You know what I mean. Staying away from the others. Alienating yourself and all of that. When Kato said the other fireplace was lit, I knew somehow this would be the one you'd go to instead of the other where everyone is." I looked at him and met his gaze. His amber eyes reflected to fire, and looked like they were on fire themselves. A grin tugged on his lips and he said, "You know me too well."

_Hardly. _There was so much that none of us knew about Shun, and probably never would. Trying to figure him out, felt like trying to unravel the mystery of life at times. He took the last sip of his tea and set it down on the coffee table in front of us. I said, "Thanks for the hat." He grinned, but didn't turn from the fire. "So I take it you found it?" I nodded my head and said, "Yup. Kind of hard not to find it when my foot hit it." He chuckled and pushed himself deeper into the back of the couch. I stared into the flames, and found myself getting mesmerized by the flickering fire.

There was a pull to it, that nobody could resist. It was something so untamable and dangerous that people feared. They stayed away from it so they wouldn't get burned. But fire also had a certain beauty that people couldn't help but be drawn to. Even myself.

Shun was like that in a way. He was dangerous because people didn't know much about him and what he could be capable of, but there was also that beauty and grace that also kept them wondering. Looking for the answers to how he worked. Was I one of those people without even being aware of it? "Why have you suddenly been spending time with me?" I snapped out of my deep thoughts, and looked from the fire to Shun.

It was like I was still looking at the same thing. "Huh?" Shun's eyes were still fixed on the fire in front of us when he repeated his question, "Why have you been spending time with me the past few days? You used to never even get three feet near me other than to say hi."

I blinked my eyes a few times. I never thought he'd bring something like this up. Never in a million years. I said, "Well. It's kind of a long story." He looked at me from the corner of his eyes, and waited for me to continue. "You see, Dan and the others came up with a plan to get you to change your views of the holidays, and I kind of got elected to spend time with you." He went back to looking at the fire and said, "Is that the only reason? Because you got forced to?" I knew that if I ever had to tell him this, it would be an antagonizing conversation.

"Not really. It kind of was at first, but after a while I actually started to like spending time with you." The more I spoke, the more it seemed like I was the bad guy in all of this. I had to turn the conversation around, and quick. He said, "It's just. It really did surprise me when you asked me to go to the café with you. For so long you had avoided me, and I knew that when you asked me you couldn't have done it on your own account." I felt a sting in me. He was right. I would have never asked him on my own account. And I hated myself for that.

I said back to him, "But you avoided me too. Why didn't you ever talk to me or anything like that?" I could feel the table turning, and the ball was in his court. "Because I didn't have to guts to talk to you. Why did you avoid me?" And the table just turned back on me. "Because I thought you were still angry at me about the whole Masquerade thing." He let out a short humorless laugh. "You thought I was still mad about that? I hadn't even thought about all of that in years."

I suddenly felt foolish that I had almost given up a friendship, or something more, all because a stupid assumption of mine. Shun's reason seemed more legitimate than mine. He sighed and said, "I don't want you to have to spend time with me if you don't want to." I watched the flames dance in his amber eyes. "Bu that's the thing, Shun. I want to." I wasn't sure what I was saying.

It felt like another part of me was speaking instead. But I didn't stop it. Whatever this side of me had to say, seemed like the right thing for both of us to hear. "Are you sure?" I smiled and nodded. "Yes. I thought after all of these years, that my feelings had gone away. But they hadn't. They never seemed to have left. And I found that out by spending the past few days with you."

Outside, the wails of the storm were dying away. It was all coming to an end out there. The lights suddenly flashed on, and my eyes shut with the sudden brightness. Shun was squinting through the lights too. "What the?" I blinked a few times and said, "Looks like the powers back on."

I heard Dan cheering in the other sitting room. The heater then kicked on, and it was too warm to stay under the blanket. I kicked it off and folded it next to me. The flame in the fireplace was starting to die away, and I saw the little key stuck in the wall. I didn't ever notice it was a gas fireplace.

Seemed like that was one of many things I hadn't noticed before now. Kato's voice came over a little speaker in the roof and said, "The powers has kicked back in, and so has the heater. Everyone can return to their rooms, but we do ask you turn off all the lights when you leave a room. Thank you." Shun and I both stood up and didn't say anything. He walked with me all the way down to my room, and stopped me right before I went inside. I turned around and felt my heart pounding. I didn't know why though.

What was I expecting to happen? Was I nervous with having Shun around me all of a sudden? "I just wanted to thank you for erasing any doubt I had back there. You have no clue how confused I was." I smiled and said, "No problem, Shun." We both stood there for a few seconds in silence. I said, "Well, I'm gunna go on back to my room. See you tomorrow, Shun." He nodded his head and said, "Yeah. See you in the morning."

I went into my room and shut the door behind me. My brain was fried from what had just happened. I had admitted that I basically still liked Shun, and he did the same to me. How would this affect our friendship? Would we go on tomorrow like the conversation never happened?

I kind of wanted it to go that way. Mainly because I didn't like how awkward it felt now. It was just like when I started to talk to him again after so long. I laid back down on my bed, and sighed. I didn't sleep the remainder of the night.

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><p>im about to freeze to death. o.o well, read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~<p> 


	6. Catching Roses

_Alice_

It was Friday. The last day of the work week for many people, but for us it was the day of the city's Christmas parade. Yesterday after the blizzard was long gone, the city sent out officials to asses the damage and to clean the streets from snow and debris for the parade. They sent out a radio and television broadcast saying the parade would go on.

Yesterday was also kind of a lazy day for us too. Most of us just sat around Murucho's and talked because there was so much snow that we were advised to stay inside until it was all cleared away. Shun and I didn't really talk much yesterday either. The awkwardness from the night before still lingered, but today it felt like it had finally passed. _Good. I'd hate for it to be weird when we go to the parade._ The guys were ready to go, while me and Runo and Julie were still getting ready.

I didn't bother putting on much make-up. Just a little blush and lip gloss, but nothing major. I slid on my jacket over my long sleeve shirt and zipped it up halfway. I hated how nerdy I looked with a hoodie all the way zipped up. Even though when I checked in my bathroom mirror, I looked like I was ready to go but felt like something was missing.

I then thought about it and ran into my room and swiped the beanie Shun got me. I pulled it on over my orange hair and checked it in the mirror. It looked really nice on me. Seeing myself with a hat on was something new to me. Another good reason for the hat; I was having an exceptionally bad hair day and it covered up most of it. Felling that I was now ready to go, I walked downstairs and into the main lobby where the others were waiting.

Dan, Shun Murucho, and Runo were standing there and looking at all of the ornaments hung on the tree. Kato was almost done. He just had to finish up with the lights. I asked, "Is Julie still getting dressed?" Runo sighed and said, "Yeah. She found out this morning that Billy is going to be at the parade and she wants to look nice for him.

I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't come down here wearing a prom dress or something like that." I laughed and joined them by the tree and said, "Kato outdoes himself every year. Doesn't he?" Everyone nodded their heads, and Julie then came bouncing into the room. She was just wearing jeans and a thick coat, but her hair looked great. _So that's what took her so long._ She said in a bubbly tone, "Ok! Let's go! I want to get there quickly to see Billy!"

Runo shook her head and said, "We could have been there already if you didn't spend forever getting ready!" I rolled my eyes and stepped between the two girls and said, "Come on guys, let's not start this now." Runo sighed and said, "You're right, Alice. Truce?"

She held her hand out to Julie, and the silver haired girl took it and said, "Truce." I let out a sigh of relief as I watched the fight dissolve. Shun snuck up behind me and said in my ear, "That hat looks good on you." I smiled and thanked him as we walked out of Murucho's. We didn't bother taking his limo because the parade was going right down the street from the park, and that was only a short walk away. In the distance, I could hear a marching band warming their instruments up in the cold air. Police were setting up the barricades on the sides of the streets to keep people out the parade route. One of the officers tipped his hat to us as we walked by and said, "Enjoy the parade." We nodded to him and kept walking down the sidewalk.

The closer we got to the start of the parade, the more people we walked by. It seemed like soon we wouldn't be able to go through the crowd. Murucho said, "How about we stand here? There isn't as large of a crowd." None of us cared, so we just went ahead and stood there. The parade started to move, and in the very front was the mayor in his convertible car waving to the spectators.

His wife was next to him doing the same. Behind them was a motorcade of police officers blaring their sirens. They stopped filling the air with the loud noise, and the marching band behind them started up. Cheers came from the crowd for the band.

I watched as the flag twirlers did their routine, and was amazed how well synced they were with the songs the band played. They eventually passed by us and were only a faint little sound in the distance compared to the noise being made now. The parade floats were making their way down the streets, and I saw them throwing candy and beads and all kinds of things to the people.

I got distracted by a little kid squeezing his way through the barricade and his mom and dad scooping him back up before anything happened. I went back to watching the parade, when I saw something being held out to me from the corner of my eye. I turned and saw Shun hold out a little rose. When I looked around on the ground, several more were on the street.

_He must have caught one._ I smiled and took it. The petals were made of fabric, and they had apparently sprayed it with a Christmas tree scent. The colors on the petals were red and green. Naturally recognized Christmas colors. He took the rose and said, "Here." He brushed my hair back some and stuck the plastic stem behind my ear and let my hair fall over it.

"There." I smiled and blushed, then turned back to the parade. I glanced around and saw the others had missed Shun's little move a second ago. It was probably a good thing because Dan or Julie would probably never shut up. A few hours passed, and after being in the cold all of that time, the parade finally ended. People started to disperse, and we did the same.

Runo walked up beside me and said, "That's a cute hat, Alice. And I like what you did with the little rose." I smiled and kept walking with them. Dan was jumping around and saying, "Dude! I caught so much candy that I'm going to have a sugar rush for days!" All of us looked at him and yelled, "No!"

That left us all in a laughter and Murucho asked, "There's still plenty of time before nightfall. You guys want to stop somewhere and eat? My treat." His offer was tempting. We all shrugged and I said, "Sounds ok with me. Where are we going to eat, Murucho?" He looked around, and he pointed across the street and said, "How about that sushi place? I've heard it's really good."

Our shoulders shrugged again, and we checked the street before running across. The sushi place had a decent crowd. Most were probably from the parade and looking for something to eat just like we were. A lady behind a podium looked at us and asked, "How many this evening?" Murucho held up six fingers and she nodded and grabbed six menus and escorted us to a long table.

Shun was sitting on the end, and I took the seat next to him. Julie looked sad, and I asked, "What's the matter?" She looked at me and said, "I miss Billy already." Runo rolled her eyes and said, "Oh my gosh, Julie. It's been ten minutes since you've seen him! You'll probably see him at the tree lighting tomorrow and at the party!"

A few people turned around and looked at the arguing girls, and Shun said calmly, "Will you two be quiet for five minutes?" They both shut up, and I couldn't help but giggle. Our waiter finally arrived and asked what we wanted to drink and our orders.

He bowed his head and left us. Julie leaned over to me and whispered, "Don't you think that waiter was cute?" Her attempt to whisper was a failed one, because everyone at the table was looking at the two of us. Even Shun. I said, "I don't know. I wasn't paying attention to what he looked like." She shrugged her shoulders and started to talk with Dan about something.

Our food quickly came, and we started to eat. We were now looking at our empty plates, and feeling full. Murucho handed the waiter his credit card, and when he got it and the receipt back, we left. I was tired now, and wanted to hurry and get back to Murucho's to sleep. We walked by the park on the way back, and saw them setting the tree up already and decorating it.

Murucho's house was a warming site to me when I walked back inside with the others. Kato was stringing the last of the lights, and Julie asked, "When will we be able to see the tree, Kato?" Murucho pushed his glasses up and said, "I'm waiting to reveal it on the day of the party. Kind of like the city does with their tree."

Now we all knew why Kato was taking his time with the tree. I could only imagine what it would look like when it was light. A yawn escaped me, and the others turned to look at me. I smiled and said, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired from today." They all looked at each other and Dan said, "I'm beat too."

The others nodded their heads, and Murucho said, "How about we all turn in for the night?" We all agreed to his suggestion, and went our separate ways to our rooms. Since Shun and I were on the same hall, we both walked with each other. I asked him, "So, are you still skeptical about going to the party?" He yawned and I could see the fatigue in his eyes.

He said, "I'm still debating it." I looked at him and said, "Seriously? You're still thinking about not going?" He smiled at me and said, "You'll know if I decide to go or not." I pushed him playfully and said, "Just say you'll go already. It'll be fun. I promise. And it wouldn't be a Brawlers Christmas party if one of the Brawlers weren't there."

Before I even realized it, I was at my room. I stopped by my closed door, and yawned with the thought of being another step closer to sleep. I told Shun, "Night. Wait, you're still going to the tree lighting tomorrow, right?" He nodded his head and said, "I wouldn't miss it for the world." I told him goodnight again, and he said it back to me.

When I was back in my room, I took off my beanie, and my fabric, Christmas tree scented rose fell out from my ear and onto the floor. I placed my beanie down on the nightstand, and then bent over to pick up the red and green rose. I pressed my nose to it, and inhaled the scent. It still smelled like Christmas tree. I placed it on top of my beanie, and walked over to my dressers and pulled out my pajamas and changed for bed.

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><p>my dearest apologizes for not uploading yesterday. i had to go somewhere, and plus i was having slight writer's block. but i believe it has passed. check out my poll and tell me which of my stories you like the best please. so i know what to work with in the future. and i think that's it for now. read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~<p> 


	7. That Not So Warm Feeling

_Alice_

The hours leading up to the tree lighting that night seemed to fly by. It was a good thing, since there was nothing to do and I would have been bored out of my mind the entire day. I did a quick check to see if I had everything I needed to bring. _Phone. Check. Wallet. Check._ I pulled my beanie over my head and walked down to the lobby with the others. I asked, "How much time do we have to get to the park?"

Murucho checked his watch and said, "We have like an hour and a half. Plenty of time to get there." Kato walked into the room with an armful of blankets and asked Murucho, "Do you want to take some of these with you, Master Murucho?" The short blonde said, "Maybe throw a few in the limo. You know, just in case." Kato nodded and walked outside. I said, "We're taking the limo?"

I thought we were walking like we did yesterday to the parade. Murucho said, "It's the coldest night its been all week, so I decided to have Kato drive us so we didn't have to walk in the cold." Julie popped in and said, "Well I think it's great that Murucho was thinking of us like that. Because I sure know that I don't really want to walk outside in this freezing weather." Kato walked back inside and said, "The limo is ready whenever you all are." Murucho asked, "Everyone ready to go?"

We all looked at each other, then nodded and walked outside. Murucho was right. It was the coldest it had been all week. Maybe even all month as well. We all hurried into the warm limo as we tried to get away from the nipping cold. Kato checked behind him and looked at us to make sure everyone was inside, and he then started to drive towards the park. I was sitting in the middle of the backseat, with Shun to my left against the window, and Runo to my right against the other window.

Christmas tunes came on over the limo's speakers, and we all looked up at them. Murucho rolled his eyes and said, "Kato loves his Christmas music." Julie was across from me and humming the tune. None of us paid her any mind, and left her in her own little musical world. Besides, it would be a few minutes of time that she wasn't harping on me about Shun or something like that.

A crazed driver shot past us, and I saw Kato mumbling to himself about the guy's driving ability. We pulled up next to the curb of the park, and the engine was cut off. Kato leaned back and rolled the little window down and said to us, "We're here at the park." All of us climbed out of the warm limo, and back out into the cold night. Julie said, "You know, I'm kind of tempted to stay in the limo."

Runo looked at her and said, "What are you going to do when the limo starts to get cold?" I shook my head and ignored them as I fixed my purple fleece scarf that my grandfather got me for Christmas last year. It went very nicely with my purple beanie that Shun had given me. My feet were already getting cold through my purple converse and white socks, but I was sure they'd warm up when I started to walk around.

Dan pulled out a piece of candy out of his pocket that he had caught at the parade yesterday, and popped it in his mouth. Runo was telling him how he was going to rot his teeth out if he didn't cut back, but he only stuck his tongue out. Now it was on.

Runo's face turned red, and she backhanded him on the top of his head, causing Dan to bite down on his tongue. She said, "How are you going to taste candy now?" Shun was beside me and shaking his head and said under his breath, "I don't know why I hand out around him." I placed my hand over my mouth and giggled. Murucho stepped between Runo and Dan and said, "We need to go and find a place around the tree before they start without us and we can't do that if you two are fighting."

The two bickering brawlers looked at each other, and sighed. Dan said, "Ok, Murucho." We then walked through the park towards the tree that was in the very center. Snow hadn't been cleared off from the sidewalk, and as we walked on it crunching sounds came from under our feet.

We finally made it up to the tree. A red velvet rope was wrapped around the tree, but none of the lights were on yet. The mayor who was at the start of the parade yesterday, walked in front of the tree and waved to everyone. "Thank you everyone for coming out tonight. Chilly isn't it? Ha-ha. Before we light this year's tree, I'd like to acknowledge our sponsors." He started to go through a list of local businesses who helped put the tree up and such.

I glanced at Shun, and saw he had his hands stuffed in his jacket and his hood over his head. He could say how much the cold didn't bother him until the cows came home, but he was cold at the moment. I was too. Even with all of my clothing on I was still shaking a little bit. The streetlights then went off, and the tree in front of us lit up. People all around us were marveling at the site.

More ornaments and lights were hung up on the tree this year, and it looked great. A few people were clapping, and then more joined in. Soon, me and the others were clapping too. The mayor said, "Please enjoy yourselves. We have hot chocolate, eggnog, carolers, and other things. Thank you all for coming out." Shun asked me, "You want to grab a hot chocolate or something?" I smiled and nodded my head. I got Murucho's attention and said, "I'm going to get a hot chocolate with Shun and walk around."

He nodded his head and went back to talking with Dan about something. We were one of the first people in line, and the lady handed us each a small Styrofoam cup of the hot liquid. He asked me, "You want to sit down somewhere?" I thought for a second and said, "How about we go and stand on the bridge over the river?" He shrugged his shoulders and we started to walk to the bridge. We both had our elbows placed on the railing of the bridge, and sipping our hot chocolate.

The trees that lined the banks had lights in them, and it looked like a separate world in the river. I could see little pieces of ice floating downstream. It had to be cold if the moving water below was actually frozen in some parts. I leaned forward slightly, and my purple scarf slid off of my neck and onto the rocky bank. "Oh no! My scarf!" The wind had pushed it just to the rocks, and half of it was in the water.

I started to run off the bridge, and Shun yelled at me, "Alice! Be careful! Those rocks are slick with ice!" I said back to him, "I'll be careful!" I heard him running above me, and I stepped on one rock at a time. I had to get my scarf before the river took it away. My fingers were just a few inches from the scarf, and I finally got it. The second my hand grabbed it, my foot slipped on the rock, and I was falling towards the river.

I felt a hand grab me and keep me from falling in. "I've got you." I turned my head around and saw Shun had just caught me. I let out a sigh of relief, but then Shun's foot slipped and we both went into the water. The cold water jolted me awake, and I couldn't move for a second or two. I finally got up to my feet, and looked around. "Sh-Shun? Wh-where are y-you?" He popped above the surface of the water, and I saw his jacket wasn't on him anymore.

It probably had fallen off since he didn't have it zipped up. "I-I'm r-right h-here." We crawled out of the freezing water and onto the snow covered bank. I brought my knees up to my chest to try and get warm. Shun was standing up and hugging himself with his arms. "W-we need t-to f-find Murucho. N-now."

I nodded my head, and Shun helped me up to my feet. I was freezing to death, and I knew Shun had to be colder than me since he lost his jacket in the river. I still had a grip on my scarf though when we fell in, and it was still in my hand as we searched for Murucho. We were both shivering as we walked by crowds of people wondering why we were stupid enough to go outside when we were soaking wet. Shun and I both saw Murucho, but he was the first to say something. "M-Murucho! Murucho!"

The short blonde and Dan turned to look at us. Dan said, "What happened to you two? Did you decide to go skinny dipping?" Shun glared at him and then turned back to Murucho. "W-we fall into t-the r-river." Murucho didn't hesitate to get out his phone. He said, "Hey, Kato. We need you to warm up the limo and bring us those blankets we brought with us…..Kay. Thanks."

He hung up and said to us, "You two head towards the limo. The heat should be on by the time you get there. We'll be there in s few minutes after we round up Julie and Runo." We didn't protest, and started towards the limo as quickly as we could. Kato was getting the blankets out of the trunk when he saw us. I could tell he had just figured out why Murucho asked him to turn on the heat and get the blankets. He handed them to us, and we wrapped up and climbed into the limo.

Even with the blankets and heater, we were still shaking with cold. My teeth chattered when I said, "I'm s-sorry, Sh-Shun." He looked at me and a drop of water dripped from his hair. "It's n-not your f-fault." I brought the blanket tighter against me to try and get warmer. Shun pressed himself closer to me, and I did the same.

I felt warmer from whatever body heat I could get from Shun, and I hoped it was the same case for him. Neither of us were shaking as badly as before, but we were still cold and wet. Dan and the others then opened the doors, and climbed it. When they did, they brought in a rush of cold air.

I said, "Sh-shut the door!" Dan leaned over and slammed it shut. It was too late now. Shun and I were shaking again from the short exposure to the air. I hated to think about how it would feel when we had to go from the limo to inside Murucho's house. Kato pulled away from the curb and drove back towards the house. He might have been going slightly over the speed limit.

I didn't care. It only meant that we would get closer to warm and dry clothes quicker. The limo pulled up in front of Murucho's house, and Shun and I darted inside as quickly as we could. Once we were inside, we both hurried upstairs and into our rooms to change into dry clothes. I peeled off my wet clothes and got into my pajamas. My hair was still dripped wet, and I went into my bathroom and got out my hair dryer.

_Shun_

I had gotten into some dry clothes, and walked my way back to the sitting room with the blanket from my bed. My hair was still a little damp, but I tried to dry it off with a towel as good as I could. I reached into my jacket pocket for my phone, then remembered' my jacket came off in the river.

With my phone in it. I leaned my head back and sighed. Even if I still had my phone, it would have been ruined by the water. Alice then walked in the sitting room, wrapped up with a blanket like me, and her hair was frizzy from where it looked like it got blow dried. She sat down next to me when the others walked into the room. Dan said, "Dang. You two ran up here like the limo was going to explode."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Well, you weren't the one soaked to the bone." Dan shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well, I'm hitting the sack. Night." We all told him good-night, and watched him walk into another room. Runo, Julie, and Murucho soon did the same. That left me and Alice in the sitting room. She said, "I'm still sorry about dragging you into that river."

I told her, "And I still say it wasn't your fault. It was just an honest accident. Nobody has any blame here." She smiled and said, "Well, my phone got ruined. What about yours?" I said, "Mine's somewhere down that river in my jacket." Alice looked at me and then said, "Aw. I'm sorry. Now that's my fault."

I shook my head. It almost seemed like Alice would take the blame for anything. I told her, "No it's not. Quit blaming yourself for something that couldn't of been helped." We stayed there and talked for a few minutes before we started to grow tired. Alice said, "I'm going to sleep. Night."

I told her, "Night." And watched her walk down the hall and go into her room. I soon got up and went into my own room. My damp clothes were still laying on the floor, and I saw no point in them staying there. So I took them into my bathroom and draped them over the shower rail to dry over night.

After that eventful end of the day, I started to get tired. But I wasn't about to keep just the two blankets on my bed. I went into my closet and pulled out a few more and draped them over my bed and got under them. _Ah. This is more like it._

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><p>the title is kind of a play off of this song we play in jazz band called That Warm Feeling. and none of us like it. it's usually a bad song when band kids hate it. : but it's kind of a twist on that song. read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~


	8. That Wonderful Evil Thing Called Glitter

_Shun_

Waking up that morning wasn't something I found fun as I was starting to feel the effects of falling into cold water and going to sleep with semi-damp hair. My head was pounding, and I thought I might have been getting a headache when I realized the pounding was coming from downstairs.

It was music. I got out of my bed and walked over to my closet and found my black jacket. It was a good thing I grabbed two when I left the dojo to come here. Murucho's house was oddly cold that morning, and my jacket immediately started to help. I found the others in the main lobby. When I walked through the door, one of those Flip video cameras were shoved in front of me with Dan at the other end.

I said, "What are you doing with that thing?" Dan looked at the little screen on the other side and said, "Hoping to get some funny video footage and put it up on Youtube. And to also test out the camera before the party." I rolled my eyes and lowered the camera out of my face.

"What's with all the noise?" Dan turned the video camera off and pointed to the other side of the room and said, "We were testing out the sound equipment and Murucho didn't realize the volume was all the way up when he turned it on." I saw the short blonde still rubbing his ears where the speakers blasted him with sound. He yelled over to us, "I think I've got it running now!"

Dan stuffed the camera in his jean's pocket and said, "Just in case, cover your ears. You know how Murucho sucks with sound systems." I nodded my head and walked over to the others with Dan. Runo, Julie, and Alice were standing around and holding cables that went with the sound system. They seemed confused on which ones went where.

I said, "Maybe somebody should help them out before Murucho or one of us go deaf." Dan laughed and said, "I would, but I'm just as lost as them since Murucho lost the instructions some time ago." I rolled my eyes and stuffed my hands in my jacket pockets to warm them up and said, "Why does Murucho have it set on Artic temperature in here?"

Dan looked at me with a raised eyebrow and said, "I think that's just you. It does seem cooler in here though. Maybe something's up with the heater." I shrugged my shoulders and watched as Murucho tried to help out the girls out with the cables, and ended up getting tangled in them somehow. Dan and I shook our heads and walked over to them. My friend said, "Need some help?"

Murucho looked up at him and said shamefully, "Yes." Dan started to untangle him, and handed my the mass of cables when he got them all undone. I looked at him and said, "What am I supposed to do with these?" He started to unknot the black cables and hand them down to Murucho and the girls. "Stand there and smile while you hold these things. And then help us figure out where they go."

I shook my head and stood there. After a few minutes of the holding the cables and standing, my feet were starting to kill me. Thankfully, the last cable had been straightened out. Now, there was a neat, straight mass of black on the floor. I knelt down on the floor with the others as we looked at the cables with utter confusion on our faces.

Dan clapped his hands together and said, "How about we divide the work up into groups and turn it into a game? Like, whoever gets there cables right first wins? That way it won't seem like we have as much work." It sounded good to us. He smiled and said, "Ok. There's six of us, so three groups of two. Runo and I will be one." Julie shot her hand up and said, "I want Murucho cause he's smart!" Dan rolled his eyes and said, "Ok. Julie and Murucho will be another team."

Dan grinned evilly at me and said, "I guess that just leaves you and Alice as a team." We both looked at each other, and I was about to say something but was cut off by Dan. "Ok! Whoever finishes first and is right wins! Good luck!" Cables were scooped up and they were gone before either one of us could blink. Our cables were the only ones left on the floor, along with us kneeling beside them.

She said, "I guess we should start." I nodded my head and grabbed our cables. Dan and Runo had apparently grabbed the cables to a speaker, while Julie and Murucho got the main system. That meant ours were to the other speaker. We stood behind it, and Alice looked at the cables and said, "It can't be the hard to figure out. Right?" I shrugged, being the technology challenged person I was. I only knew how to work half of my phone before I lost it, and how to work my iPod.

That was the extent to my technological abilities. Alice looked at the end of one of the cables, and to the places where they plugged in. She said, "I know this is a cable to the speaker. But it won't go in any of these. Looks like we need an adapter or something." Kato walked by, and I flagged him down. "Hey Kato, you know where the cables to the sound system were?" I was hoping that we would find the adapter or something wherever the system was.

Kato pointed down the hall and said, "In the store room to the right." I thanked him and grabbed Alice. The store room was dark and smelled like dust. I found a switch, but the lights were blown. I growled and said, "Looks like we have to be careful in here." We searched through boxes, but didn't find anything in them. Alice pointed up to a shelf, and said, "There's a box up there. Maybe it's in it."

I looked up, and saw the shelf with a stepladder underneath it. I stepped up the black, plastic steps and reached for the box. I had to be careful, because all around it on the shelf were small cans of paint and other small objects. When I pulled the box closer to me, I heard something roll in it. My hand reached down in it, and I pulled something metal out. Alice asked, "What did you find?" I flashed the item to her and said, "I found the adapter." She said back, "Awesome! Let's get back to the speaker then."

I started down the stepladder, but my hand hit one of the jars on the shelf and it was a domino effect from there. Something splashed on me, but it wasn't wet. Alice asked, "What did you do?" I tried to see what was on me, but couldn't make it out in the dark room. "I don't know. Let's get out of here and check."

We went back in the hall, and I saw what was covering me. Silver glitter. Of all things, it had to be glitter. Alice was trying her best not to laugh. It would take me forever to de-sparkle myself. I growled and said, "I must look like Twilight attacked me." Alice nodded her head and smiled. I rolled my eyes and said, "Let's just get that sound system hooked up."

Alice was the first back in the room with the others, and I heard them ask, "Where did you two go?" She said, "We had to find an adapter, and kind of ran into a little snag on the way." She was referring to the glitter. Runo asked, "What kind of snag?" I then walked in the room, and all eyes were on me.

I said humorlessly, "Go on. Let it out." Dan fell over on his back and was holding his sides and kicking his feet in the air. He sat up and wiped a tear away from his eye and said, "What happened to you? A run in with a fairy? HA!" He fell back over and was laughing harder.

The others were laughing, and Kato walked in the room and saw me. He was trying to not smile, and said, "I see you must have found Master Murucho's art supplies from when he was younger." I looked at him and said, "You really had to have a quart of silver glitter?"

He shrugged his shoulders, and I looked back at Dan. He was still laughing. Alice tapped me on my shoulder and said, "We can use the distraction to catch up with the others." She was holding a cable. I smiled and knelt down by the speaker next to her. The others were back to working, minus a still laughing Dan. We finally finished, just a few seconds shy of Murucho and Julie. Runo was yelling at Dan to help her.

Runo eventually got the job finished without him. Murucho turned on the system, and everything worked smoothly. He said, "Looks like Shun and Alice won." We both smiled, and the Flip video camera was back in my face once more. Dan laughed and said, "This is just too priceless. The sparkling ninja in all of his glittery glory." Dan dropped to the floor laughing again, and I couldn't help but smile and laugh myself.

I then sneezed, and some of the glitter got knocked off and fell to the floor. Alice raised an eyebrow at me and asked, "You ok?" I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Guess I might be getting a cold, or some glitter got up my nose. One or the two. Most likely the first one." She smiled and we all turned our attention back to Dan. I said, "Maybe I should get cleaned up, or else he'll never stop laughing." The others nodded their heads, and we went into another room and left Dan on the floor.

_Alice_

Shun had gone off to his room to get the glitter off of him, and we were all hanging around in the sitting area. Dan finally came into the room, and was wiping tears from his eyes and holding his sides. "Woo. That was hilarious. Where is glitter boy anyway?"

Runo rolled her eyes, but I saw she wanted to laugh. "He's cleaning up." Dan plopped down on the couch next to Runo, and took a deep breath as he tried to regain his composure. He said, "He'll be getting glitter off of himself for weeks. I say we should have stuck him on the tree. He's blend right in." Dan started laughing again, and Runo hit him in the head and said, "Ok, Dan. The moment has passed."

Shun then walked in the room and said, "I agree with Runo. Putting me on a tree is where even I draw the line." He had changed clothes, but I saw something flashing in his black hair. "Uh, Shun." I pointed on my hair where the piece of glitter was. He brushed it away with his hands, and when I saw it was gone I gave him a thumbs up.

Dan was right about Shun having to probably spend weeks getting the glitter off. It was funny though. He sat down next to me and saw his cheeks were a little flushed. I whispered over to him, "You ok?" He nodded his head and said, "Yeah. I just took me some medicine a few minutes ago. It just hasn't kicked in yet." I was amazed the cold weather wasn't getting to me yet.

I usually always got sick around this time of the year. But then again, when Shun fell into the water yesterday he had lost his jacket and went through the cold air with less clothes than me. Dan started to chuckle again, and I saw he was looking at the Flip video camera.

He was watching his amateur video of Shun covered in glitter. Most of the video was of him laughing on the floor though. Julie asked, "So, what are we going to do tomorrow? I don't think the city has any events planned." Runo had snatched the camera from Dan, and I giggled as he pouted.

The brunette then said, "How about a snowball war?" I looked at Shun, and saw his eyes were wide. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought he would have run from the building at that moment. In fact, most of the people in the room where like that.

Even Kato, who was passing by and had frozen in place. Runo said, "Dan, I don't think that's the best idea. You remember what happened last time we got into a snowball fight, right?" I vaguely remembered. We were like 12 or 13, and Murucho ended up getting sent to the hospital somehow.

He was the only person I knew of that had gotten injured via snowball. I also remembered that Shun was also there. How had he acted that long ago. Part of my mind remembered he was part in the snowball fight, and he was much different that he was now.

Then again, his mom wasn't quite dead yet. Only in a coma. Shun's shocked expression changed, and he looked at Dan with a devious smile and said, "You're on. I'm going to enjoy the payback for that video."

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><p>lol. ah humor. XP writers block is over thanks to jazzmonkey. thanks. XP i was actually thinking about making him get sick, but couldnt figure out how to plug it in. and now with that, and the snowball fight, i have another like three or four chapters. XP this is why i loves me some reviews. ^^ well, read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~<p> 


	9. Snowball Effect

_Alice_

We stood in the open area in the park next to the Christmas tree. The lights were barely visible in the daylight, but I could see they were on. Dan looked around the area and smiled proudly. "Looks like it snowed last night just for us." It did. The whole park was blanketed with it, and it hadn't been cleaned away yet. Murucho's eyes were darting back and forth and he looked nervous.

He said, "Do I really have to take part in this madness?" He must have still be shell-shocked from that snowball fight all those years ago. Dan said back to him, "Yes, Murucho. You have to participate. So, how are we going to do this? Teams? Or everyone for themselves?" We all thought for a moment before Runo suggested, "How about everyone for themselves?" Dan turned his attention to the rest of us and said, "All in favor of Runo's idea, raise your hands." Dan, Runo, Julie, Shun, and myself raised our hands. Murucho just sat in the snow and looked like he wanted to disappear.

Dan said cheerfully, "Ok! It's settled then! Split up in 3. 2. 1!" Everyone broke apart from each other and I ran towards a group of trees not far away from me. This would be good cover for me at the moment. I saw something dart out of the corner of my eyes, and I whirled around to see what it was. Shun was behind one of the other trees when he saw me.

We both dove for the ground and came up with snowballs ready to be thrown. But neither of us attacked. He said, "You want to team up and take the others out?" It was a snowball fight. Nobody could be trusted. I cautiously lowered my snowball and said, "And what happens if we take out the others and we're the only ones left?" The snow in my hand was starting to turn my fingers numb, and I let it drop to the ground before my fingers froze off.

He said, "Well, if it comes down to that, then we'd be enemies again." Shun smiled at me, and I smiled back. I said, "Ok. We'll form an alliance to take the others down. But it ends if me and you are the only ones left." Shun walked over to the tree I was behind and we shook hands. I really doubted that both Shun and I would be left in the fight, so I didn't have to worry about him getting me, or vice versa.

Somebody screamed behind us, and we both peered out from behind the tree and saw Murucho running through the snow with Dan tailing him from behind with a handful of snowballs. The short blonde tripped and fell face first in the snow, and Dan pelted him, and covered up poor Murucho to where only his little leaf-shaped hair was sticking out of the snow pile. Shun and I both went back behind the tree so Dan wouldn't spot us and give us the same snowy fate as Murucho.

He said to me, "We can't hide behind here forever." We both started to look around, and I then pointed to a ditch not far off from us. "We could hide there for a little while and plan an attack." Shun looked at it and said, "I guess it could work. I don't really like the idea of my back being all exposed like that though. Especially with Dan running around here in commando mode."

In the background, I heard Julie saying, "Dan! No! No! Help!" Shun looked back at me and said, "Let's go in the ditch." I nodded my head in agreement and we mad a made dash to the ditch and slid down into it. It was just deep enough that we could crouch down in without being seen.

I said, "We should probably start making some snowballs so we'll be ready in case somebody comes this way." Shun nodded and we dug our hands into the snow. I remembered how he started to feel sick yesterday, and had just thought about it. "Are you sure you should be out here in this cold?" He looked up at me and smiled. "I'll be fine." I froze when I heard a crunching in the snow above us. Shun did the same as me, and we both grabbed a snowball and readied ourselves.

He whispered to me, "Let's hope it's Dan." Runo then slid down into the ditch with us, and froze when she saw us looking at her, with snowballs in hand. "Uh-oh." We hadn't made an alliance with Runo, so she was our enemy at the time. Shun and I pelted her with snow and she yelled, "I give! I give!" She brushed off the snow and asked, "How come you two aren't attacking each other?"

Shun said, "We made an alliance." Runo nodded her head and said, "I should have thought about forming one with Julie. Sadly, Dan got her. Looks like it's just the three of you left. Good-luck." She climbed out of the ditch to go back to the designated area we set up for when you were out of the fight; which was the Christmas tree. Shun said, "We can't just hope Dan comes along this way. We need to find him and get him out of the way."

I nodded and climbed out of the ditch right behind him. I could see the others next to the tree. Julie and Murucho were still brushing snow off of themselves, and Runo was just standing there. It was safe to say we didn't go overkill like Dan had. We were walking up to the trees where we hid the first time, and peered around them to observe the area.

Snow fell off the limbs above, and landed on and around us. Shun and I looked at each other, and then up in the branches. Dan was up in the tree, and smiling down at us. "Found you!" He jumped on a heavily snow-covered limb, and sent snow raining down. Shun and I quickly darted out of the way and back into the opening where we had started the war.

We turned around just in time to see Dan jump out of the tree and run our way. Shun scooped up a handful of snow, and I mimicked him. He smiled at me and asked, "You ready?" I smiled back and nodded.

_Shun_

After an endless bombardment, all three of us were still standing there; panting and covered with snow. Dan said to us, "Just give up already!" I retorted back with, "When pigs fly, Dan!" He narrowed his eyes at us, and then smiled. "Ok. I give up." Alice and I looked at him with surprised looks, and then it hit me. He was going to let me and Alice finish each other off. I said to him, "Hey! That's not fair!" He was walking back towards the tree and said, "Neither was it when you made a team with Alice when it was everyone for themselves. You brought this on yourselves."

He was talking to the others and pointing in our direction. I sighed, and looked at Alice, who was looking back at me. Dan yelled to us from the tree, "And you can't just forfeit!" That threw that plan out of the window. While I was glaring at Dan, something cold hit me in the side of my head. I turned around and saw Alice holding a snowball and smiling evilly.

I blinked several times as I put what had just happened together in my head. She hit me with the snowball she had in her hand. I smiled and said, "So that's how it's going to be." I scooped up some snow and threw it at her, but she had just dodged it. She had hit me several more times and I said, "Ok! I give up! I give up!" The snowballs stopped, and Alice stood there smiling victoriously.

The others walked up to us, and Dan was laughing and said, "You got beat by a girl." Runo glared at him and said, "What's so wrong with losing to a girl? Huh, Dan?" The brunette cowered down and said, "Nothing. Nothing is wrong with losing to a girl. Way to go, Alice."

We all shared a laugh, when I started to not feel well again. Murucho asked, "You ok, Shun?" I stuck my hands in my black jacket pockets and said, "Yeah. Just a little tired from today. What time did Kato say he'd be back here to pick us up?" Murucho looked down at his watch and said, "He said he be back here at like three. If that's the case, then we have another hour and a half out here."

Joy. Dan asked, "What are we supposed to do for another hour and a half?" We looked at each other, all at a loss for ideas. Murucho said, "I could go ahead and call Kato up and see if he can hurry up with my parent's shopping and pick us up early." I said, "Whatever floats your boat."

Murucho got out his phone and called up Kato. When he got an answer, he walked to the other side of the tree to take his call without being disturbed. He returned shortly after going behind the tree, and said, "Kato said it wouldn't be a problem and will be here in fifteen minutes." Those fifteen minutes flew by, and I wondered how quickly the hour and a half would have gone.

Being back at Murucho's was a relief to not only me, but the others as well. All of us were still covered with snow, and as it melted we started to grow cold. Murucho told one of his servants, "Can you please turn the heat up?" She nodded and left the room. I felt the air get warmer in a few minutes, and decided it was warm enough to take my snow-covered jacket off.

We all started to walk towards the sitting area, and I was the first in there. I sat down on a couch and laid back. The others soon followed my action, and laid down on the couches and chairs also. Dan and Runo took the couch across from us, Julie took the loveseat to my right, and Murucho took the chair to my left. Alice sat down next to me, seeing as there wasn't anywhere else to sit. I didn't mind. She asked me, "How ya feeling now?" I leaned a little closer to her, but she didn't notice. "Better now that I'm warmer."

I still felt a little sick though, but not enough to bother me. The others around us, started to fall asleep. We were all exhausted from trying to kill each other with snow. Alice was even drifting off next to me, and when she finally did fall asleep, she laid her head on my shoulder and scooted closer to me. I wasn't sure if she had meant to do that, but I wasn't about to wake her up to ask.

I'd ask another time if I thought about it. I looked around and saw Dan and Runo sleeping on the couch almost like me and Alice were, Julie was stretched out on the loveseat and out cold, and Murucho was leaned into his chair and sound asleep. I yawned, feeling that I would probably being joining them soon. I leaned into Alice, and closed my eyes and started to drift off to sleep. _I could start to get used to this._

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><p>i know it's short. forgive me for that and for uploading late. but it's short because i kind of ran out of time and had to cut it short, and i was late because my dad forced me to work with him after his appointment and i got stuck changing like 30 lightbulbs. -.- thanks dad. well, that's all. read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~<p> 


	10. Replay These Holidays For Me

_Alice_

I opened my sleep heavy eyes, and saw the others laid out on the couches and chairs, sound asleep. I glanced to my side a little, and saw I was leaning against Shun, who was asleep himself. My face heated up, and without thinking, I quickly moved away. That caused him to fall over since my body wasn't leaning against his to support it.

He was awake now, and he looked around the room and said, "What the?" The others started to stir as well, and tried to figure out what all the commotion was. Murucho was in the little chair, and was leaning forward to stretch. He asked, "What time is it?" Dan took out his phone and said, "Like, almost nine at night. We've all been out for a while." Were Shun and I next to each other like that all that time?

I turned around to face where Shun was sitting next to me, and saw his spot was empty. I found him standing in the doorway to the hall with all the rooms on it. Dan asked, "Where are you going?" Shun said back to him flatly, "Bed. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm still tired." Dan looked at his best friend and said, "Yeah. I guess I'm still beat from today too.

" The others nodded, but I felt wide awake after the surprise of having Shun that close to me when I woke up. It was a truly unexpected site for me. But just because it was unexpected, didn't mean that I minded it. I kept wishing that I hadn't spazed out and woke him and the others up so that way we could all still be asleep, and I could still be in close quarters with Shun. Murucho broke my thoughts when he said, "You all can get some more sleep, but I have to check and make sure everything is in order for the party in a few days."

I had completely forgotten that the party was in less than a week. Murucho had scheduled it five days before Christmas Day itself, so that way people that wanted to go back to their families could, or stay and celebrate with us. Dan said, "Murucho, you work too much. The party is in what? Six? Five days? And it's late at night. Just take a day off for once."

Murucho was shaking his head and said, "I wish I could just take a night off, Dan. But there is still a lot that needs to be done." Dan shook his head and walked out of the sitting area and down the hall to his room. Murucho then turned around and headed for the stairs that led down to the main lobby. The others were going to their rooms, and I was the only one left in the room.

I could go to my room and hope I fall asleep. Or I could go downstairs and help Murucho to waste time. The second option sounded much better to me. I found the short blonde adding little adjustments to the decorations. "Hey, Murucho." He jumped up, and dropped the hooks he was using to hang ornaments and such with. He snapped at me with, "Don't sneak up behind me like that, Alice." I held up my hands in defense, and said, "Sorry. My bad. I thought you might want some help, so I came down here."

He was picking up the hooks and said, "Thanks for the offer, but I've got it." I watched as he kept poking himself with the hooks and said, "It doesn't look like you've got it to me." I knelt down beside him and picked up some hooks with my thumb and index finger and handed them to him. I said, "Here. At the rate you were picking them up, you'd look like Captain Hook." He smiled at my little joke, and took the hooks and put them back in their little plastic box. "Thanks, Alice."

I smiled and said, "No problem. So, what all were you thinking about tweaking with down here?" He stood up and said, "Well, I was going to hang up some more wreaths, ornaments, and just a few others things. I was going to call up a few people, but it's kind of late to do that now. That will have to wait till tomorrow." I nodded my head, and said, "How about since I'm a little bit taller, I hang up the wreaths, and you handle the ornaments?"

Murucho glared at me about my height comment, but then said, "Sure. The wreaths are in the box by the sound system." I nodded my head and walked over to the sound system, and knelt beside the box. I could still see glitter on the floor from the fiasco a few days ago. I giggle, and pulled a medium sized green wreath out of the box. "Where do you want it, Murucho?" He pointed over to one of the walls and said, "Over that door if you would."

I nodded my head and grabbed the same stepladder that Shun used to get the adapter to the sound system on that shelf, and ended up getting covered in glitter. I hung up about four wreaths, when I ran out of them at the same time Murucho put up the last of his ornaments. We stood in the middle of the room and marveled at our work. He said, "Thanks for your help. It would be past midnight before I got done if I were by myself. You want something to drink?"

I smiled and said, "A glass of water would be nice." Murucho nodded and said, "Then follow me into the kitchen." I had never been in the kitchen, so when I saw the massive cooking area I was at a loss for words. Murucho opened the door to one of the massive fridges, and pulled out two glasses full of ice. He then filled them up with water from the filter on the front of the fridge door.

I sat down at the counter, and he sat across from me and slid me my glass. I caught the cold cup that was sweating from the melting ice and took a sip from him. "So, what's up with you and Shun?" I almost did my signature drop-the-cup-cause-I-was-in-shock move, but lucky for me it was on the counter.

"What do you mean, Murucho?" He finished the rest of his water and said, "Well, you like him don't you? I was just curious if there was anything going on between you two. I mean, it's plain to see he likes you, Alice." I looked up at the ceiling and said, "Honestly, I haven't given it much thought. Yeah, I like Shun, but I don't know if I like him enough to risk our friendship. As for him liking me, I know that much but I think he feels the same way as I do. I just don't want to lose a friend."

Murucho nodded and said, "I can see where this would be a predicament for you, but you won't ever know unless you take a chance." A humming radiated from the room as the heater cut on, and Murucho looked at his watch. "Well, it's getting late and I'm getting tired. Thanks for helping me, Alice."

I told him goodnight and watched as he left the kitchen to go up to his room for the night. I stayed in the kitchen for a little while longer and thought. Was it really putting our friendship on the line for something as uncertain as our future?

All of the confusion in my mind started to agitated me. I said under my breath, "Why did Julie have to volunteer me for getting Shun in the holiday mood. If she hadn't done this, then I wouldn't be so confused." _But if she hadn't, then I wouldn't have had all those moments with Shun._ Did I hate it? Or enjoy it? The weight on my mind became too much for me to ponder any longer, and I retired up to my room for the night.

_Shun_

My stopped up nose kept me from getting any sleep, and to try and wear myself out, I had decided to walk around Murucho's mansion. But I made sure to go only in places that I was familiar with enough so I wouldn't get lost. I saw Alice walk past the hall I was on. _What's she doing up this late?_

I knew by the direction she was walking, that she was going to her room. A shiver went through me, and I started back towards my room. Whether I couldn't sleep or not, I needed to be resting to my best extent. When I started back to my room, I went past Alice's and saw her door was closed now. I sighed and went into my own room and shut the door behind me. My head hurt, and I laid down on my bed to try and help it.

I made a mental note to ask Murucho for some medicine to try and knock this thing I was getting out of the way before I ended up feeling like the living dead. Which I was sure I was halfway there anyway. My thoughts went back to Alice and how she had reacted when she woke up. That answered my question on whether she was aware she was leaning against me or not.

I sighed and pulled my blanket up to my shoulder when I rolled over on my side. I couldn't tell how she felt about me, and I was supposed to be an expert in seeing peoples' emotions and feelings. It always seemed like one day we were having a moment, and then the next she acted like she had not interest in me whatsoever. I was always one that wasn't good at playing games like this.

I sneezed, and felt the room spin along with it. That one or two doses of cold medicine didn't seem to be doing their job at all. _This is why I hate getting sick._ I knew I'd be better in a few days, but I'd suffer till then. I started to sweat under the blankets, and wanted nothing more than to get out from under them, but knew it would be best for me to stay under them and try and sweat this thing out.

I went ahead and made the decision to stay in bed the next day. Main reason was that I didn't want to hear my friends' loud mouths and let them antagonize my headache. And by friends, I meant Dan. I started to think about the party in a few days. Did I really want to go?

I had been going on all of those outings with Alice just because of that. Alice. I could have cared less about the holidays. And Alice would be at the party of course. That would be the only reason I'd go to it. But with being unable to fully know how she felt about me, I was starting to question if I still even wanted to go whether she was there or not.

I might stay for a little while then go on my way or something like that. But that would mean all of those days Alice had spent trying to convince me to go, would have all been a waste. I'd hate for her to feel like she wasted her time. I sighed as I felt my common sense, guilt, and conscience fight each other in my thoughts.

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><p>well, i feel the story is rounding its in. sad face. but i will soon have to get started back on <em>The Anthem Of The Angels <em>and _The Puppetmaster._ so, read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~


	11. Blue Christmas Turned White

_Alice_

I was walking to the dinning hall for breakfast that morning, and was still in my pajamas. You didn't have to dress up for breakfast, right? I took my usual seat, and scooted my chair up closer to the table. I looked around and saw the chair at the end was empty. I asked, "Is Shun still asleep?" Dan leaned forward to look at Shun's chair, and said, "I guess he is. He didn't look like he felt well last night."

I had to agree with Dan, but then again I knew Shun was getting sick. I sighed when my plate of food was placed in front of me. It seemed like the same old thing everyday; wake up, eat, listen to the same arguments, and then go back to sleep. _Rinse and repeat._ Don't get me wrong, I loved my friends to death, but sometimes they could be much too predictable at times.

I felt like I needed something different to break to monotony. Dan asked me, "Aren't you going to eat, Alice?" I looked down at my plate. I had only touched a small portion of my breakfast, and didn't want anymore. I shook my head and said, "No. I'm not all that hungry." Runo then asked, "You're not getting sick too, are you Alice?" I shook my head and Dan said, "Well, if you're not gunna eat that, can I have it?"

I smiled and pushed the plate towards him. "Go for it." Dan's eyes lit up, and I stood from the table and pushed my chair back under the table. Runo asked, "Where are you going?" I told her, "I'm just going to run up to my room and change real quick." She nodded her head, and I hurried out of the dinning area before anyone else became a distraction. I kept my word and went straight to my room and changed into a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt. I kept my white socks on my feet though.

When I stepped back in the hall, I could hear the others downstairs laughing and having their routine good time as usual. Normally I would be down there with them and doing the same, but for some reason I didn't want to. Not that day at least. I walked down the hall to return back downstairs, but stopped in front of Shun's closed door. It wouldn't hurt anything if I went in there to check on him, right?

He was sick anyway and might need something. I knocked on the door out of common courtesy, but got no answer back. I slowly opened the door, and stepped inside. Shun was still asleep in his bed, and he hadn't even noticed my entrance into his room. I moved a little closer when he moved and his eyes opened.

They stood out even in the room that was lit up with the morning sun. "Alice?" Since I wasn't expecting Shun to wake up, I was at a complete loss for words to explain why I was in his room. He must have thought that I was stalking him or something. That's what I would have thought if I saw somebody standing in my room while I was sleeping. He sat up and asked, "What are you doing in here? What time is it anyway?"

He looked around for a clock. "It's a little past nine. I was just checking in on you since you didn't come down for breakfast, and I knew you weren't feeling well. Do you need anything?" I was thankful that the room was only dimly lit, so my blush was hidden. I could feel that awkwardness, but it faded when Shun smiled at me.

He shook his head and said, "No, I'm fine. But thanks for making sure I'm alright. I was just going to lay in bed for the day." I didn't get it. He sounded and acted like me being in his room without his ok, was completely normal while it was alien to me.

Then again, Shun was much more calmer than me and didn't freak out over everything. I started to walk back towards the door and said, "Well, if you need anything, just ask. None of us are going anywhere today." He nodded, and I slipped out of the room and shut the door. I felt like I could breathe again, but couldn't help but have the feeling that he was still looking at me somehow.

_Shun_

I wasn't expecting to wake up and find Alice standing in my room. That was for sure. She had come to check on me and see if I needed anything. I could hear in her voice that part of what she had said was true, but the other half told me something else. I couldn't figure it out though. Not feeling in the mood to think it over, I laid back into my bed and tried to go back to sleep. Pointless. There was no way I'd be able to fall back asleep.

Not with my thoughts waking up and starting to fight again. Inside my mind, I was still debating whether or not to go to Murucho's party, or just go back to the dojo. Right then, I would have consulted a Magic 8 Ball if it meant I got an answer that I didn't have to pick on my own. Sadly, I didn't have one. Like it would have given me an actual answer anyway. Those things were only designed for yes, no, maybe, or try again later.

I turned my head and looked at the little poinsettia that Murucho had made Kato put in all of the rooms at some point. It was starting to wilt from lack of water. It didn't matter. It was one of those that you buy at Wal-mart and that are designed to die after a few weeks. With or without water. So it wasn't my fault that the plant was dying. I sighed and took my attention away from the plant.

I was only focusing on it to refrain from thinking about Alice. All I wanted was to know how she felt about me, and if I was wasting my time to try and get her to like me. My door opened back up, and Alice stepped inside. "You're back so soon?" She raised an eyebrow at me and said, "It's been like three hours." I reached for my phone and looked at the time. Sure enough, it was 12 noon.

Three hours had slipped by my without me even knowing. "Looks like I lost track of time…..Are you just going to stand there or what?" She walked in my room the rest of the way, but left the door open behind her. She didn't seem as on guard as when she was in my room earlier.

Alice seemed more calmed down. Then again, I hadn't randomly woken up and startled her. She asked, "I was just checking in on you again." I appreciated the concern she was giving me, but it was unneeded in my opinion. I was feeling fine other than a the phantom ghost of my headache from last night.

I didn't even feel like my fever was still lingering. I said, "I'm still fine." She nodded her head, then asked, "So, are you still debating on whether you're going to the party in a few days?" I thought for a minute and said honestly, "I don't think I'm going to go." Her eyes widened in surprise, and I also saw a glimmer of sadness behind them.

_Great. Look what you've done now._ She asked, "But why? I thought you were going to go." I bit my lower lip as I thought of my reason to not go. I. Had. Nothing. "I guess I just changed my mind when I thought about it." Alice didn't say anything, and neither did I. I couldn't think of anything else to say or tell her.

She said, "Well, I'll be back in a few hours and see how you're doing then." I nodded my head and watched as she walked out of my room again. I sighed. _Smooth._

_Alice_

I felt like all my efforts were for nothing. Shun wasn't going to the party, and my assignment to make him go was a failure. I didn't care that the others wanted him to go, because I wanted him to go. I wanted to be there at the party with him and talk to him. Why hadn't I just told him that instead of letting him walk? But did him not wanting to go, mean that all of those days were nothing? Meaningless?

Pointless? No. They couldn't be. Murucho had told me himself that Shun liked me, and even Shun admitted he had feelings for me. Murucho wouldn't lie to me about something like this, and I knew Shun wouldn't either. Why didn't he want to go then? I was sure if he liked me back that he would have gone. Could it be that I was wrong? The others were still downstairs, but I didn't go back to them.

Instead, I stayed in the sitting area, and sat down to think. Where had things took a turn without me knowing? I needed some time to myself to think and figure this out. My time alone though, was short lived when I heard somebody walking into the room. I expected it to be Dan or Murucho, but was surprised to see Shun.

I looked at him and said, "You should be resting." I told him that more to get him to leave so I could think than out of his own health and wellbeing. He said, "I just wanted to tell you that I changed my mind again." I looked at him and said, "So you're going to the party now?" He smiled at me and said, "Yeah. I guess it was the fever talking back there." Me and him both knew that was a lie, but I didn't care.

I asked, "What made you decide to change your mind again?" He leaned against the wall and said, "The look in your eyes." I looked at him and was taken aback. "What do you mean?" He said, "Well, when I told you I wasn't going, I saw that it upset you. The only reason I didn't want to go all of a sudden, was because I was starting to get a little paranoid I guess you could say."

I raised an eyebrow at him and he said, "Yeah, yeah. I know. Not the best way to explain it, but it was the easiest." I stood up from the couch and said, "Ok. Let me make sure of this. You are going to the party, right?"

He rolled his eyes and said with a smile, "Yes. Do I have to sign a contract for you to have my word." I laughed and said, "Perhaps. So that way you won't start getting 'paranoid' again." He rolled his eyes and held up his right hand as if he were taking an oath. "I solemnly swear I will go to the party and not change my mind. But only because of you." My face heated up a little.

I laughed and said, "I guess I can accept that. It seemed legitimate enough." He shook his head and rolled his eyes. Dan then walked in the room with the others tagging along behind him. He saw Shun and said, "Hey! Good to see you up and around, buddy!"

Murucho then ran into the room and said frantically, "We don't have time for chitchat! We need to find the numbers of all of the others Brawlers and see how many are going!" Dan rolled his eyes and said to me, "He's freaking out again, and he'll only get worse if we don't help." I giggled and nodded my head.

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><p>FREE! FREE! FREE! I'M FREE! lol ^^ no more school till next year! wooooo! dontcha just luv x-mas? well, next chappie will be the party. XP well, read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~<p> 


	12. Mistletoe Above Us At Last

_Alice_

It was the day of the party, and Murucho was stressing out over the last few details. If taking his parents business over didn't work out, then becoming and interior designer would be a good fallback plan for him. We tried to tell him everything looked great, but that didn't help our cause. Runo said to herself, "If he keeps this up he's going to be too tired to attend his own party."

Murucho was actually tiring me out just from watching him. While we were downstairs in the main lobby, a few guest arrived early. Joe and Chan were the first ones of course, being they were bunking in a hotel down the street. They caught up with Dan and the others. There wasn't much need to catch up with us since Shun and I saw them at the Parade of Lights. We knew enough about them without having to hear it again.

One of the newer Brawler members who I hadn't met yet, Jake, showed up shortly after Joe and Chan. He seemed nice enough, but not very bright in the head. Just by the way he greeted Dan, I knew Jake looked up to him. As the hours slipped by us, more people showed up. Many of them I knew like Klaus, Komba, Julio, and Billy. It was a relief for me to see that there were still no hard feelings between all of us from when I was Masquerade.

I believed when people kept telling me that everyone had forgiven me. I just couldn't forgive myself. That was the problem. I was surprised to see the Vestals arrive early. I would have thought it would have taken them a little bit longer. Baron was marveling Dan's stories of his recent adventures, and I thought he was about to pass out. Mira was standing over next to me and Runo and Julie.

I looked around, and just as I thought, Ace was standing next to Shun and talking. While waiting for the rest of the guests, we all offered Murucho a hand with getting the food set out on the table. Dan looked like he was about to dive headfirst into the plate he was carrying, but Runo kept a watchful eye on him. It didn't take us as long to get the food out as I had thought.

Only a few minutes. We returned back to the main lobby, and two people that I hadn't ever met walked inside. Murucho's face lit up and he said, "Ren! Fabia!" They obvious weren't from Earth, but couldn't be from the same planet either. Two more people that resembled Ren and Fabia came in behind them. One was a very muscular girl, that at first I thought was a boy, and then a very skinny boy next to her.

Dan waved his hand and said, "Hey! Raife! Paige!" At the moment, we had a fairly good crowd forming in the main lobby, and I was happy that Murucho's house was so big. Murucho was doing a head count and said, "I think that's everybody. I'm not sure if anymore will show up or not."

Julie randomly popped up and squealed, "Can we get this thing started now?" Everyone looked at Murucho and he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Why not?" Somebody got the sound system turned on, and music filled the main lobby. I searched through the crowds for Shun, and found him talking with Ren. I finally made my way through the mass of people and was in front of them.

Shun smiled and said, "There you are, Alice. This is Ren." The tan, white haired brawler waved to me. It was explained to me that Ren was from some planet called Gundalia. I had heard Dan and the others talk about it a few times. I bowed my head and said, "It's nice to meet you, Ren." Somebody else called Ren's name, and he said, "I'll go see what they want. It was nice talking to you two."

He pushed his way through the people and I lost sight of him. I said to Shun, "He seems like a good guy." Shun nodded his head and said, "Hey, you want to get something to eat before Dan eats it all?" I laughed and said, "Sure." We walked up to the table set up with all the plates of food that only Murucho could afford. Dan was getting his plate and was putting a little bit of everything on it. Shun rolled his eyes and said to his friend over the music, "Leave some for the rest of us."

Dan turned around and I saw the mound of food on the dish, and laughed. Dan walked off, and Shun rolled his eyes. We didn't get as much as Dan had, and sat down at one of the sets of chairs that were set up for us. Both of us had finished the food we had gotten, and were just sitting down and talking. Enjoying each others company despite the mass of people and loud music playing.

Julie then ran up beside me and whispered in my ear, "Alice, me and Runo need to see you for a second." I looked at he with a questionable look, but nodded my head. I turned back to Shun and said, "I'll be right back." He nodded his head and said, "I'll probably be right here." Julie dragged me over to where Runo was standing. I noticed then that both of my friends had a mischievous grin on their faces.

I asked them, "Uh, what's going on? What did you need to ask me?" Julie took out a piece of white cloth, and said, "Don't worry, Alice. This is just for your own good." She wrapped the cloth around my eyes and I couldn't see. I tried to take it off, but they kept stopping me.

I asked, "What are two doing? Get this thing off of me." I wasn't freaking out. It was probably one of their plans that would go horribly wrong. Julie said to me, "You need to wear it so you won't see your surprise and spoil it." I was then being pushed, and didn't like the fact that I couldn't see where I was going.

Runo said, "Quit freaking out. We're not going to run you into any walls." I was then pushed, but caught myself. Julie whispered to me, "Don't take the blindfold off until we say so." I tried to feel around to figure out where I was. I felt the wall, and then an opening. A door perhaps? I then heard Shun yell, "Dan! Get this blindfold off of me!"

_Shun_

I was going to kill me idiot friend. After Alice had left to go and talk with Runo and Julie, Dan then showed up and said that Murucho needed help with something. When I got over there with the two of them, I had a white cloth wrapped around my eyes and couldn't see a thing.

I yelled at them to take it off or else. Why did they all of a sudden turn into idiots? I had almost succeeded in getting the blindfold off, but Murucho and Dan kept me from taking it off. They kept telling me not to take it off until they said otherwise. I growled at them and yelled, "Dan! Get this blindfold off of me!"

Next thing I knew, I was pushed, and the blindfold was snatched off of my eyes. I was standing in a doorway, and Alice was in front of me. "Alice?" She looked at me and said, "Shun?" I looked around and found Dan, Murucho, Julie, and Runo standing there in front of everyone who had been invited to the party. I asked, "What's going on?" I had never had that deer in the headlights feeling, but I was now.

By the look on Dan's face, this couldn't end well. He said, "We're tired of watching you two dance around each other. So we took things into our own hands." I raised an eyebrow, and looked at Alice. She looked just as confused as me. I asked back, "What are you talking about?"

I was starting to get nervous. What had they plotted against us? Dan looked up with his eyes and said, "That." Alice and I both looked up, and I felt my face get warm. Hanging above us in the doorway, was a little green and white plant. _Mistletoe. _Alice and I both snapped out of it, and turned to our 'friends' and said at the same time, "No!" Julie crossed her arms and said in a matter-of-factly tone, "Come on. We know you two want to."

I wasn't denying I wanted to kiss her, but I wasn't about to do it in front of every person we've ever met. Both of our faces were still burning with blush. We looked at each other and I said to Alice, "They're not going to leave until we kiss." She nodded her head in agreement.

It was days like this that I wondered why I was friends with these people. We stood in front of each other, and our lips met. I heard all of the ooh's and awe's from the people in the room, but the eventually faded away the longer our lips stayed together. Our lips finally broke, and I felt in a complete daze. I could see Alice was the same way. Dan yelled, "Finally! It took you two long enough!"

I turned to him, feeling my blush fade away. I looked at him and said, "Hey, Dan. I still owe you for blindfolding me." His smiled vanished, and he slowly started to back away. He said, "Uh-oh." Murucho looked at him and said, "It was your plan. And if I were you, I'd run." I said, "I agree with Murucho. Run."

The brunette darted out of the main lobby and ran upstairs faster than I had ever seen him move. I heard people in the room laughing and some were shaking their heads. I said, "He should have known better than to blindfold me."

The party seemed to resume after that, and as far as I knew, we weren't posted up on Youtube or anything. Alice walked up next to me, and looked at her and smiled. I felt like a heavy weight was taken away from me now that we had finally kissed.

_Alice_

The rest of the party flew by, and the guests that were starting to leave to return back to their homes and families. I didn't notice though. I was too busy replaying the kiss that Shun and I had. The last guest left, and Runo, Julie, Murucho, Shun, and I were cleaning up. I walked by the tree, and Dan popped out from underneath it. I squealed and jumped back. He said, "Shush! Is Shun still looking for me?"

I shook my head and said, "I don't think so…..Why are you in the tree?" He moved around so the limbs wouldn't poke his eye out. "Hiding. Duh." I rolled my eyes and said, "Well, Treeboy. Get out and help clean up. Whether Shun is still looking for you or not." He sighed and crawled out from under the branches. Murucho said, "Hey! There's Dan!" I smiled and took some of the dirty dishes into the kitchen.

When I didn't hear Dan crying for mercy, I knew Shun wasn't bothering to waste his time with getting his payback. I dumped the dishes in the sink and walked back into the main lobby to get more. It took us longer getting the dishes picked up than it did when we put them out.

The last plate was put in the sink, and I wondered how we had stacked them all up and didn't break a single dish. While we walked out of the kitchen, the others were telling Murucho, "Awesome party. Can't wait to see next year's." And so on. I yawned, and felt sleep creeping up on me.

It had been a long, but fast day for me. And I'd give anything to re-live it. I said, "I'm turning in for the night." The others all said they were going to sleep as well. Shun and I walked with each other to our rooms since we were on the same hall.

I stopped at my room, and he did as well. Our lips found each other again, and he said, "Night. See you tomorrow." I smiled through the kiss and said, "Same to you."

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><p>wow. before typing this down here, i had stopped the chapter on 2,100 words. i love when that happens. XP i think there will be one or two more chapters after this. not sure. i'm thinking about making the next one on Christmas day or whatever, and cut it off there. although i'd feel weird if i stopped it on an odd number. XP im just weird like that. oh how i love two weeks of winter break. ^^ no school. nodda. zip. ^^ and i can sleep as long as i wanna! yay! -jumps for joy- lol. well, read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~<p> 


	13. Our Very Merry Christmas

_Alice_

Christmas day was finally upon us. The TV stations were littered with every Christmas special known to mankind, radios flooded the air with Christmas songs, and even Dan got into the spirit by wearing a reindeer antler headband.

Which, Runo was enjoying taking his picture without him knowing and posting the photos all over Facebook and other social sites. He would be in for a surprise when he saw a notification saying he had been tagged in a photo. The day after the party, we had all snuck into separate rooms and wrapped the presents we had gotten for each other, and put them under the tree in the main lobby when we were done.

Julie's wrapping job was the best out of all of the others. Dan's, in my opinion, had to be the absolute worst. Tap was stuck all over his boxes, and I wondered how we would get them open. Shun's wrapping job was surprisingly good though. There were more presents under the tree though that were not from the six of us. At the party, a few people had brought gifts, and we had slid them under the tree where they belonged. Of course, Murucho felt guilty because he wasn't planning on any of the guests bringing presents, so he didn't get anything for those who did.

So he had spent the days after the party online and buying them gifts and having them delivered. He was kind of out of luck for those who brought gifts that were from another universe. I didn't think UPS delivered cross galaxies and such like that. I think their limit was intercontinental. I was sure Murucho would figure it out though. He was smart after all.

Dan was whining and said, "Can we start opening the presents now?" He sounded just like a little kid on Christmas morning while his parents sat there and took their time eating and kept telling him they would open the presents after they finished breakfast. Runo said to him, "We're going to open the presents when everyone is awake and down here." And by everyone, she meant Shun.

The only one that was still upstairs in his room. Most likely still sleeping. He could have been getting ready too, but I wasn't about to go up there and find out. Dan growled and said, "Can't we just wake Shun up or something?" Runo said flatly, "Yeah. You're more than welcome to wake him, but don't blame any of us for the black eye you'll get." Dan rolled his eyes and stopped complaining about the presents.

Shun then walked into the main lobby where we all were, and was rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He said sluggishly, "Sorry if I kept you all waiting. You didn't have to wait on my account." Murucho smiled and said, "It wouldn't be Christmas morning if everyone wasn't down here." Shun was still in his sleep clothes, which were just some lounge pants and a baggy white t-shirt.

His hair was slightly nappy from where he had slept on it. All in all, it was a good look for him in my opinion. Dan turned to Runo and said with hope in his voice, "Ok. Now can we open the presents?" Runo rolled her eyes and said, "If it's ok with Murucho. What do you say?" She was looking down on the short blonde and awaited his answer. He said, "Let's open em up." While the presents were being passed around, I realized something that made me seem like a failure. I hadn't ever gotten Shun anything.

I was too caught up with sifting through my feelings for him, while also trying to think of what the loner ninja boy would want. I felt my face turn pink with embarrassment. Had the others gotten him something? Of course they had. Even if they knew Shun wouldn't like whatever they got him, they still went with the whole it's the thought that counts thing. I felt like I could have disappeared into thin air if it meant not having to face my failure head on.

All of the presents had been exchanged from the giver to the receiver, and the wrapping paper was being torn apart. Dan smiled as he opened Runo's present to him and said, "Awesome! New goggles! Thanks!" The majority of Julie's presents were gift cards to stores and boutiques since the past four years we had yet to succeed in getting her presents. Murucho was given tons of computer gadgets and nerdy things. He wore a big smile on his face and said, "Thank you so much, guys!"

Runo had gotten some clothes and perfume from all of us, along with a kiss from Dan. I had also gotten some nice clothes, and a journal or two. It was no secret that I enjoyed to draw and write, and had actually filled up my last journal. I looked over to Shun. I saw in his face that he wasn't too sure about the whole present thing. It had probably been years since he had done this.

Shun finally sighed and opened his gifts. The one he opened was from Dan, and he lifted a red shirt from the box. Dan said, "I thought you needed to broaden your fashion horizon." Shun smiled and rolled his eyes. He opened one from Julie and lifted out a small plastic gift card. He raised an eyebrow at it and asked her, "It's blank. Where's it to?" Julie smiled and said, "Any place you and Alice want to go and eat. Don't go all crazy though cause there's only like eighty dollars on it."

I felt myself blush. Runo's present to him was something for his iPod, and Murucho got him something, but I wasn't paying attention to what it was. It came around to me and I said quickly, "Oops. I left his present upstairs in my room. Be right back." I ran upstairs and into my room.

_Think, Alice. Think!_ "Having misplacement issues?" I jumped and turned around to find Shun standing in the doorway to my room. I lowered my head and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't ever get you your present." He walked in front of me and took my chin in his hand and brought my eyes up to meet his. "I already got my present, and it's the best one out of all of the others." I felt myself blush again. I said like an idiot, "And that would be?" His face was close to mine when he said, "You of course."

I smiled. I then felt something click behind my neck, and then something cold lay on my skin right below my collar bone. I looked down and saw the necklace that was in the window at the jewelry store. "You, you got that necklace. But how?" Shun smiled and said, "Turns out Murucho knew somebody in there and we worked out a deal." My hand touched the necklace delicately.

It was still stunning, whether under a display light or in the dim light of a ceiling fan. I said, "I love it. I really do." Shun smiled, and I saw he was relieved that he had done something good. He said, "But there's still one more thing I want from you." I looked at him with confusion in my eyes and said, "What?" Shun smiled again and said, "This." His lips pressed against mine.

I didn't even have to react before I had kissed him back. We broke our kiss and Shun said, "We should probably head back downstairs before the others start to think." I giggled and said, "Good call." His hand found mine as we walked out of my room and back down to the main lobby with the others. They were all just sitting around and talking. When they saw us walk back in, their eyes went to us. Dan said, "Did you find his present, Alice?"

I smiled and looked at Shun, then said, "Yeah. I had no clue that I had left it right in front of me." The others could think and have whatever assumptions they wanted to about what happened upstairs, but only Shun and I would know what really happened. That is, unless Runo or Julie finally talked me into squealing. Julie was the first to see the necklace around my neck, and she said, "Ooh! It's so pretty!"

She ran up to me and was marveling it. I looked over at Shun, who was smiling and mouthed to Murucho something like, _"Thank you."_ Julie whispered to me, "Is that what Shun got you for Christmas?" I smiled and nodded my head, all of a sudden feeling very proud and special to have somebody as great as Shun. She said, "I don't see how he afforded it. It's so beautiful though." I finally peeled away from Julie's gawking eyes, and walked back over to Shun. Who was still speaking with Murucho.

He was telling the short blonde he would repay him, but Murucho just kept telling him, "Quit worrying about it." I smiled and said, "If Murucho says not to fret over it, then don't. Worrying about something isn't good for your health you know." Shun was expecting me to walk up behind him and say something. I felt accomplished that I had snuck up behind a ninja.

Murucho held his hand out me and said, "See what I'm talking about? If you won't listen to me, then listen to her." I laughed and watched as Murucho walked off and went to go and speak with the others. Dan came running up to us and said, "Guys! Come outside!"

Shun and I both looked at each other and followed behind Dan and the others. We were lead outside, and were met with snow falling from the sky. Dan ran around in circles and said, "Its snowing!" Shun didn't seem that impressed and said, "So? It snowed like, all month."

Dan looked at his friend and said, "So what? It's a white Christmas!" Shun looked around, still not seeing what the big deal was with snow falling another day in the year. Murucho said to try and shine some light on this, "It hasn't snowed on Christmas day here in like five or six years. It's not very common for some reason."

Shun shrugged his shoulders and looked at me and asked, "You want to go back inside and get Kato to light up one of the fireplaces?" I smiled, and nodded my head. Shun led me inside, the others didn't notice as they were so caught up with the falling snow. We were now sitting in front of the fireplace upstairs in the sitting area.

Shun's arm was snaked around me, and I was leaning into him. He pulled my chin towards his face and said smoothly, "Merry Christmas." His lips touched mine, and I said back to him, "Merry Christmas to you too." I reminded myself, to thank Julie for everything she had caused.

* * *

><p>forgive me for being late. i got caught up in reading a book. read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~<p> 


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